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UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral species · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Rutile
A titanium oxide mineral species with the formula TiO2; synthetic rutile is common on the market and must be told apart from natural material by a certificate. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Rutile forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale; where its colour and optical effects come from, each finding graded and sourced
- Caring for and wearing RutileDurability indicators and wearing advice
- Hardness, density and refractive index of RutileEach value with its source and check date
- Rutile in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Has any of GIA, FTC, CIBJO or Gem-A put a name for it on record here?
- Name origin and history of RutileWhere the name comes from
- Listing and disclosing RutileThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define RutileWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Rutile (TiO2) is a widespread and important titanium oxide mineral. Its main occurrence is as an accessory phase of high temperature and pressure in igneous rocks, anorthosite and granite pegmatite, and it also appears in hydrothermally altered rocks, gneiss, schist and contact-metamorphosed limestone, in clays and shales, and as a common detrital mineral. Rutile is trimorphous with anatase and brookite and belongs to the rutile group.
Scope: Covers the origin, formation environment and composition of natural rutile as a mineral species; does not address synthetic rutile or assessments of its role solely as a mineral inclusion.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Where it forms
A high-temperature and high-pressure accessory phase in igneous rocks, anorthosite and granite pegmatite
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
In gneiss, schist, contact-metamorphosed limestone, clays and shales; commonly detrital
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Also in hydrothermally altered rocks
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
How it forms, step by step
Under high-temperature, high-pressure igneous and metamorphic conditions, titanium and oxygen combine and crystallize as rutile.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Rutile occurs as an accessory mineral in anorthosite, granite pegmatite, gneiss, schist, and contact-metamorphosed limestone.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
After host rocks weather, rutile resists chemical breakdown and persists as a common detrital mineral.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Link to appearance
Rutile's color varies with composition, ranging from reddish brown, red, pale yellow, pale blue, and violet to black when high in Nb-Ta; it has adamantine to submetallic luster with a high refractive index and strong dispersion. Its prismatic crystals are commonly striated parallel to the c-axis and frequently twinned.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Timescale
The source does not state an absolute geological timescale for rutile formation.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Supporting findings
Rutile is a widespread accessory phase of high temperature and pressure, found in igneous rocks, anorthosite and granite pegmatite as well as gneiss, schist, contact-metamorphosed limestone, clays and shales; it is also a common detrital mineral.
Evidence grade BScope: Describes rutile's occurrence and host rocks.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Rutile's common associations include anatase, brookite, hematite, ilmenite, apatite, quartz, and calcite.
Evidence grade BScope: Describes rutile's mineral associations.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Africa
- Giftkuppe mine, Omaruru, Namibia
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Europe
- Cavradi, Tavetsch, Graubünden, Switzerland
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Pfitschtal, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Saualpe, Styria, Austria
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Kassoi Brod, Ural Mountains, Russia
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
North America
- Magnet Cove, Arkansas, United States
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Graves Mountain, Lincoln County, Georgia, United States
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Stony Point, Alexander County, North Carolina, United States
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Parkesburg, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Champion mine, White Mountains, Mono County, California, United States
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
South America
- Ibitiara, Bahia, Brazil
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Seas and coasts
- WorldwideMany localities
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Causes of colour and optical effects
Rutile's color varies with composition from reddish brown to violet, and it is black when high in Nb-Ta.
Evidence grade BScope: Describes the compositional dependence of rutile's color.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Where the name comes from
Rutile is from the Latin rutilus, for red, a common colour of the mineral.
Evidence grade BScope: This states only the origin of the name and does not establish the material's composition, locality, natural origin, or whether it was treated.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Other research findings
Rutile has the formula TiO2 and is trimorphous with anatase and brookite, belonging to the rutile group.
Evidence grade BScope: Concerns rutile's composition, polymorphism, and group.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
The name rutile derives from the Latin rutilus, for red, alluding to its common color.
Evidence grade BScope: Concerns the name's origin, not genesis.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- The source states no absolute age or specific P-T values for rutile formation.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Rutile
GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.1 b) · IMA Mineral List 2026-07 “Rutile”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
Synthetic rutile is common in the gem trade; natural and synthetic material must be distinguished by a report.
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Rutile" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Care and wear
No institutional care guidance is registered for this material yet; below are its durability indicators and general guidance.
Durability and wearing
Fracture
Conchoidal, subconchoidal, uneven
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Daily wear
Rutile ranks 6–6.5 on the Mohs scale and is brittle with moderate cleavage; it can be used in jewelry, but daily wear should avoid impacts and abrasion that may cause it to break along cleavage planes.
Care
As a brittle material with cleavage, clean gently with warm, mild soapy water and a soft cloth; avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners, sudden temperature changes, and impact or rubbing against hard objects.
General guidance: LumaLark's general guidance inferred from the material's properties (hardness, toughness, cleavage); not text from the cited source, and not a guarantee for any specific piece.
Scope: This field describes the general properties of the material and does not constitute a durability or safety guarantee for any specific finished product; the durability of treated (filled/dyed/coated) or composite pieces must be assessed separately.
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Chinese standard nameRutile is not listed among the basic names of natural gems in Annex A of GB/T 16552—2017; Table A.4 lists synthetic rutile; under GB/T 16552—2017, Rutile can be used directly as a name. Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name of Rutile is Rutile, composition TiO2; the IMA Mineral List 2026-07 edition records it as Rutile. Recommended listing nameThe suggested listing name is Rutile. Names in four languagesNames are given in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Rutile) and Japanese; the GSJ (Japan) formal name is given in Japanese characters with the reading rutile. Institution usageIn checking the wording of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A, there is no wording for Rutile in the FTC text on file (checked), and GIA, CIBJO and Gem-A are unchecked; bodies without a recorded wording show the English name Rutile, which does not represent their position.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- 金紅石（ルチル）
- Mineral / material name (not in GB/T 16552 Annex A; usable directly)
- 金红石 (GB/T 16552—2017 §5.1.1 b))
- Mineralogical name
- Rutile (TiO2)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 金红石
- 繁體中文
- 金紅石
- English
- Rutile
- 日本語
- ルチル／金紅石
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Oxide minerals
- Identity tier
- Mineral species
- Mineral chemical class
- Oxides / hydroxides
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
What it is and how it's identified
The material facts for Rutile include: composition TiO2, tetragonal, with prismatic crystals elongated along the long axis with lengthwise striations, also equant granular, rarely bipyramidal or massive. Mohs hardness 6–6.5; cleavage good on {110}, moderate on {100} and only in traces on {111}. Density 4.23 g/cm³, a measured value given in the original with an uncertainty of ±2 in the last digit, noting that density increases with niobium and tantalum content. Optic character uniaxial, positive; refractive index 2.605–2.901, combined from the original's separate values ω = 2.605–2.613 and ε = 2.899–2.901, the ε value having been checked against the page image of the original, as the machine-extracted text layer lacks this glyph. Untreated Rutile has a body colour of reddish brown, red, light yellow, light blue or violet, rarely grass green, and black when high in niobium and tantalum; colour alone cannot show whether a stone is Rutile, and confirming the mineral species depends on refractive index, optic character and other properties. Untreated Rutile has adamantine to submetallic lustre.
Numbers in curly braces, such as {111}, are crystallographic face symbols (Miller indices): each marks a set of crystal faces or cleavage planes. They are reproduced as written in the cited source.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Definition
Rutile — composition (chemistry): TiO2
Handbook of Mineralogy
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, heading (formula) (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Structure
Rutile — structure (crystal system): tetragonal
Handbook of Mineralogy
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Crystal Data (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — structure (crystal habit): prismatic crystals, elongated and striated lengthwise; also equant, rarely dipyramidal, or massive.
Handbook of Mineralogy
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Crystal Data (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Durability
Rutile — Mohs hardness: 6–6.5
Handbook of Mineralogy
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Physical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — cleavage: good on {110}, moderate on {100}, traces on {111}.
Handbook of Mineralogy
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Physical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — toughness: cleavage good; tenacity brittle
Handbook of Mineralogy
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Physical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Physical properties
Rutile — density: 4.23 g/cm³
Handbook of Mineralogy
- Qualification
The source gives a measured value of 4.23 (±2 in the last digit) and notes that it rises with niobium–tantalum content.
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Physical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — streak: pale brown to yellowish brown (grey to greenish black when rich in Nb–Ta).
Handbook of Mineralogy
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Optical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Optical
Rutile — optic character: uniaxial, optically positive
Handbook of Mineralogy
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Optical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — refractive index: 2.605–2.901
Handbook of Mineralogy
- Qualification
The source gives ω = 2.605–2.613 and ε = 2.899–2.901 (the ε value checked against the page image, since the extracted text layer drops that glyph); the range shown here is the combined span of the two.
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Optical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — transparency: opaque; transparent in thin fragments
Handbook of Mineralogy
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Optical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — pleochroism: distinct; red, brown, yellow, green
Handbook of Mineralogy
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Optical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Rutile — body colour: reddish brown, red, pale yellow, pale blue or violet, rarely grass-green; black when rich in Nb–Ta.
Handbook of Mineralogy
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
Colour alone cannot show that a stone is rutile: the source lists colours from reddish brown and red to pale yellow, pale blue and violet, and they shift with niobium–tantalum content (black when high); the species has to be confirmed from refractive index, optic character and the other properties.
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Optical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Quality factors
Rutile — quality factor (lustre): adamantine to submetallic
Handbook of Mineralogy
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-28
- Source
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Rutile (Mineral Data Publishing): p. 1, Optical Properties (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-28
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 2.753 / 4.23; Closest values: 1Synthetic Moissanite 2.67 / 3.22, 2Hematite 3.045 / 5.12, 3Diamond 2.417 / 3.52, 4Sphalerite 2.369 / 4, 5Artificial Strontium Titanate 2.409 / 5.13
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Clause-level definitions
The basis registered for Rutile in the clause-level definitions is its entry in the IMA list of minerals, under the entry name Rutile, with the content Rutile TiO2 G 1803; cross-check result: the entry was cross-checked against the RRUFF/IMA list of minerals main table, using public-domain data.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutile | IMA Mineral List entry | Rutile TiO2 G 1803 | Cross-checked against the RRUFF/IMA master mineral list (public domain data). |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Oxide minerals | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Rutile entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.