Granate

Garnet is a silicate mineral group that includes species such as andradite and grossular, with colour varieties ranging from black to honey‑reddish.

Hessonite is a variety of grossular with honey‑reddish colour and is often transparent. At Lajetto it occurs as continuous druses on chloritic schists, typically associated with clinochlore. In Val d’Ala grossular forms well‑developed crystals with clean faces and sharp edges, in brown, honey and cinnamon tones. It shows a recognisable resinous to vitreous lustre and associates with calc‑silicates and chlorite‑group minerals.

Andradite is a calcium garnet of the nesosilicate group. Its melanite variety is black due to high titanium content. It commonly forms dodecahedral or trapezohedral crystals with adamantine lustre. In Mali it occurs in golden to green hues, often transparent and very bright.

← Periodic table of the collection