Where is Garnet found?
Garnet group minerals
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Open the appGarnet occurs in specific geological environments. Knowing where to look, and in what kind of rock, is the difference between going home empty-handed and finding a great specimen.
Where to find Garnet
India
Significant producer of almandine and spessartine garnets, particularly from Rajasthan and Odisha.
Sri Lanka
Known for various gem-quality garnets, including almandine and spessartine, often found in alluvial deposits.
Brazil
Source of spessartine and almandine garnets, especially from Minas Gerais.
USA
Idaho (star garnets), New York (Barton Mines, almandine for industrial use), North Carolina, Arizona (pyrope), and California (grossular, andradite).
Madagascar
Important source of spessartine, grossular (hessonite), and pyrope-almandine garnets.
Russia
Ural Mountains (demantoid andradite, uvarovite), and Siberian kimberlites (pyrope).
Czech Republic
Historically famous for Bohemian garnets (pyrope).
Canada
Various localities, including Quebec and Ontario, for almandine and other garnets in metamorphic terrains.
Collecting tips
- Look in Metamorphic Terrains. Garnets are very common in medium- to high-grade metamorphic rocks like schists, gneisses, and amphibolites. Look for distinct, often euhedral (well-formed) crystals embedded in the matrix.
- Check Alluvial Deposits. Due to their hardness and resistance to weathering, garnets often accumulate in stream beds and placer deposits. Sifting through gravels can yield rounded or fractured garnet grains.
- Examine Igneous Rocks. While less common, some granites, pegmatites, and especially kimberlites (for pyrope) can contain garnets. Look for dark red to purplish-red crystals in kimberlite pipes.
- Identify Crystal Shape. The characteristic dodecahedral or trapezohedral crystal forms are strong indicators of garnet, even if the color is unusual.
- Test Hardness. Garnets are relatively hard (6.5-7.5 on Mohs scale), which can help distinguish them from softer minerals. They will scratch glass and many other common minerals.
- Observe Fracture. The absence of cleavage and presence of conchoidal to subconchoidal fracture is a key diagnostic feature.
Quick Check
- Color:
- Red, orange, yellow, green, brown, black (highly variable)
- Luster:
- Vitreous to resinous
- Streak:
- White (for all common varieties)
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