Corundum

specimen number:
1052625

location:
Ilmen Mts., Russia

description:

Old classic Russian specimen from the Ural Mountains, a blue prismatic crystal of corundum, this is the variety known as Sapphire, measuring 3.2 cm in length embedded within matrix. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. This label gives an original acquisition date for the piece in 1906.

The Ilmen Mountains, located in the Southern Urals near Miass, Russia, represent a world-famous geological complex renowned for its extraordinary mineral diversity and alkaline pegmatites. Geologically, the range is part of the Ilmenogorsk-Vishnevogorsk complex, where syenite-pegmatites and nepheline syenites formed during the late Paleozoic era, creating a unique environment for the growth of rare minerals and gemstone varieties. Corundum, specifically the blue variety known as sapphire, occurs here within these pegmatitic veins and associated contact-metamorphic zones, often found as well-defined crystals in a matrix of feldspar or mica. Historically, mining and quarrying activities in the Ilmens began in the late 1700s following the discovery of semi-precious stones, and the area quickly became a major source of minerals for the Russian imperial court. The most intensive extraction of gemstones and rare earth minerals occurred during the 19th and early 20th centuries, with numerous small pits and shafts peppering the landscape. In 1920, the region was established as the Ilmen State Scientific-Nature Reserve, the first of its kind in Russia, which effectively shifted the focus from commercial mining to strict scientific preservation and research. Today, the Ilmen Mountains remain a legendary site for mineralogists, and though active mining is prohibited, the historic localities continue to be studied as a primary reference for alkaline mineralogy through 2026.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.