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Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, Chinai
Regional Level Types
Shaku ruby depositMine
Yuanjiang CountyCounty
YuxiPrefecture-level City
YunnanProvince
ChinaCountry

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09518240017747948861418.jpg
View of a placer deposit near Shaku village.

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
05117810017747948876031.jpg
Terrace view from Shaku village

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
00208740017747948886301.jpg
Uphill view of a placer deposit near Shaku Village.

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
08884870017746006037991.jpg
View of a placer deposit near Shaku village.

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
01666770017746004014785.jpg
Terrace view from Shaku village

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
09133290017746005293980.jpg
Uphill view of a placer deposit near Shaku Village.

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
09518240017747948861418.jpg
View of a placer deposit near Shaku village.

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
05117810017747948876031.jpg
Terrace view from Shaku village

Shaku ruby deposit, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi, Yunnan, China
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
23° 27' 51'' North , 102° 5' 31'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
23.46444,102.09222
GRN:
N16E67
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
Cwa : Monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate
Mindat Locality ID:
155759
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:155759:9
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Yuanjiang ruby mine


Corundum deposit in calcite marble, formed by regional metamorphism in the middle of the Ailao Shan Complex. About 50% of the production is of inferior colour: light red, light pink or colourless corundum.

Recently, during the sample collection work carried out by the author’s team in Yuanjiang County, gem-quality garnet crystals were found in the epidote amphibolite on the periphery of the Yuanjiang Shaku ruby deposit. Subsequent tests revealed that the garnet samples discovered belong to andradite; these garnet samples exhibited the rare Usambara effect.



Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.


Mineral List


14 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded


Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Andradite
Formula: Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3
Colour: UV-Vis tests show that the samples have transmission windows in both the green- and red-light regions, with Fe3+ and Cr3+ acting as the main chromogenic ions, among which Cr3+ is crucial for the occurrence of the Usambara effect. These andradite samples appear green when the thickness is less than 2 mm and reddish-brown when the thickness is greater than 2 mm, exhibiting the typical Usambara effect.
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Corundum
Formula: Al2O3
ⓘ Corundum var. Ruby
Formula: Al2O3
ⓘ Diopside
Formula: CaMgSi2O6
ⓘ Epidote
Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
ⓘ Forsterite
Formula: Mg2(SiO4)
ⓘ Graphite
Formula: C
ⓘ Phlogopite
Formula: KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Rutile
Formula: TiO2
ⓘ 'Scapolite'
ⓘ Spinel
Formula: MgAl2O4
References:
Ivan Liu Collection Sample EVH-QF6, luminescent spectrum is includedIdentified by Ivan Liu: Visual Identification, Visual (Fluorescence)
Yunkui Qian (2004): Yunnan Geology 23(3), 337-342
ⓘ Titanite
Formula: CaTiO(SiO4)
ⓘ 'Tourmaline'
Formula: AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
ⓘ Tremolite
Formula: ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2
ⓘ Zircon
Formula: Zr(SiO4)

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘGraphite1.CB.05aC
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘSpinel4.BB.05MgAl2O4
ⓘCorundum4.CB.05Al2O3
ⓘvar. Ruby4.CB.05Al2O3
ⓘRutile4.DB.05TiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘForsterite9.AC.05Mg2(SiO4)
ⓘAndradite9.AD.25Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3
ⓘZircon9.AD.30Zr(SiO4)
ⓘTitanite9.AG.15CaTiO(SiO4)
ⓘEpidote9.BG.05a(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
ⓘDiopside9.DA.15CaMgSi2O6
ⓘTremolite9.DE.10◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2
ⓘPhlogopite9.EC.20KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Unclassified
ⓘ'Tourmaline'-AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
ⓘ'Scapolite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Hⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Tremolite◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2
BBoron
Bⓘ TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
CCarbon
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ GraphiteC
OOxygen
Oⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ CorundumAl2O3
Oⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Oⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Oⓘ ForsteriteMg2(SiO4)
Oⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ Corundum var. RubyAl2O3
Oⓘ RutileTiO2
Oⓘ SpinelMgAl2O4
Oⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
Oⓘ TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Oⓘ Tremolite◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2
Oⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Mgⓘ ForsteriteMg2(SiO4)
Mgⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Mgⓘ SpinelMgAl2O4
Mgⓘ Tremolite◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ CorundumAl2O3
Alⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Alⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ Corundum var. RubyAl2O3
Alⓘ SpinelMgAl2O4
SiSilicon
Siⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Siⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Siⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Siⓘ ForsteriteMg2(SiO4)
Siⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
Siⓘ Tremolite◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2
Siⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)
SSulfur
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
KPotassium
Kⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Caⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Caⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
Caⓘ Tremolite◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ RutileTiO2
Tiⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
FeIron
Feⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Feⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
ZrZirconium
Zrⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

AsiaContinent
China
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Yunkui Qian (2004): The coloration mechanism and color-correction effect of Yuanjiang ruby, Yunnan. Yunnan Geology 23(3), 337-342.
Dong Ye and Xueliang Liu (2006): Study on Gemmological Characteristics of Rubies from Yuanjiang, Yunnan Province. Journal of Gems and Gemmology 8(3), 21-24.
Yang, T., Sun, X., Shi, G., & Liu, Y. (2021). LA-ICP-MS U–Pb Dating of Cenozoic Rutile Inclusions in the Yuanjiang Marble-Hosted Ruby Deposit, Ailao Shan Complex, Southwest China. Minerals, 11(4), 433.
[1]Chen, Liu-Run-Xuan; Tian, Yi-Min; Zhang, Shi-Tao; Qu, Zhi; Shen, Hong-Tao; Yang, Xiao-Qi; Zheng, Yun-Ke (2025) Gemological and Spectral Characteristics of Andradite Garnets with Usambara Effect from Yuanjiang in Yunnan Province. Crystals, 15 (12). doi:10.3390/cryst15121042
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