Almandine
| Also known as | Garnet (Garnet family) |
|---|---|
| Colour | Red, Brown, Orange, Purple |
| Mohs hardness | 7.0–7.5 |
| Lustre | greasy to vitreous |
| Streak | white |
| Crystal system | Cubic |
| Transparency | Can form with any diaphaneity, translucent is common |
| Cleavage | none |
| Fracture | conchoidal |
| Chemical formula | The general formula <!-- |
| Specific gravity | 4.05 |
What is Almandine?
Almandine, also known as almandite, is a mineral belonging to the garnet group. The name is a corruption of alabandicus, which is the name applied by Pliny the Elder to a stone found or worked at Alabanda, a town in Caria in Asia Minor. Almandine is an iron aluminium garnet, of deep red color, inclining to purple. It is frequently cut with a convex face, or en cabochon, and is then known as carbuncle. Viewed through the spectroscope in a strong light, it generally shows three characteristic absorption bands.
How to identify Almandine
- Lustre: greasy to vitreous.
- Hardness: Mohs 7.0–7.5 — hard enough to scratch glass.
- Streak: white.
- Habit: Cubic crystal system.
Almandine in different forms
Stones often confused with Almandine
Frequently asked questions
How hard is Almandine?
Almandine is Mohs 7.0–7.5 on the hardness scale.
What colour is Almandine?
Almandine is typically red, brown, orange, purple (reddish orange to red, slightly purplish red to reddish purple and usually dark in tone).