Tag: Spessartite garnet jewelry

Posted on by

Spessartite Garnet

Also known as “Spessartine” this lively garnet is usually orange to reddish-brown and is somewhat rare. Most spessartites especially orange ones, have eye-visible inclusions.
Manganese is the element in Spessartiet that produces the orange color. Spessartite has been found in Brazil, Burma, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and the USA (San Diego County, CA). The most important sources today are Nigeria and northeast Namibia. Spessartites are not enhanced by any method. Hardness is 7 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale.

Posted on by

Garnet, January Birthstone

Garnets are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms but differ in chemical composition. The different species are Pyrope, Almandine, Umba River, Spessartine, Grossular, Uvarovite and Andradite. Garnet is 6.5 – 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Posted on by

Spectacular Spessartite Garnet

Spessartine (or spessartite) is named after Spessart in Bavaria, Germany, the type locality of the mineral. Spessartine of an orange-yellow has been called Mandarin garnet and is found in Madagascar. Violet-red spessartine are found in rhyolites in Colorado and Main.

Spessartite, as other garnets, has a hardnes of 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale.