sapphire and rubys.

Gidday, can someone help me to tell the differance from Pink Zircons
and Rubys!
Im prospecting for them at ponderosa above Nundle and im thinking of
heading up to Barrington tops soon when the weather warms up a bit.
Iv also found yellow and rose red ones too.
I can tell the differance from the honey coloured round Zircons.

Some pics would be good, Rubies flouresce under UV light due to the Chromium present, most Sappires do not. More than likely Garnets as Rubies in Australia are extremely rare even in Ruby deposit regions.

I've tested a ruby a friend has and it definately does flouresce though not very bright, bright enough to tell though.

Thanks heatho, UV light is on my shopping list now.
There are 41 sites in Australia that produce Rubys and up at
packers mine its 50/50 sapphire and Rubys!

as rubies are 9 on Mohs, they will retain much of their crystal structure, much like sapphires. where as zircons are almost always rounded as they are a softer material.
I have about 30 small rubies infront of me as I type!, probably only 3 or 4 clear enough to cut though..found them in the old boys rock collection that I am currently going through (sneaky bugger, never knew he had them!)

Thanks Westatrest, i read Rubys are worth a lot more than sapphires
In the market. But iv noticed few fossickers sell their gems, i guess they
are holding on to the memorys that came with them.
I read most Rubys are dichroism! 'im not talking bull crap its manure'
Which means they show two colours from different directions.
I resently brought a opal cutting machine from the widow of her
late hubby, which came with some nice gems hidden away.
These stones may last a long time but however we only hold
them for a short moment in there history.
Enjoy your old mans collection too and maybe add some more to it, before its
our turn to past them on.