mineral

Almandine Garnet & Tumbled Citrine Quartz

Fe3Al2(SiO4)3 (Garnet) and SiO2 (Quartz)

Garnet: Hardness 6.5-7.5, deep red-brown color, vitreous luster, cubic crystal system. Citrine: Hardness 7, pale yellow-clear, vitreous luster, hexagonal (trigonal) system.

Identified March 16, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Garnet: Hardness 6.5-7.5, deep red-brown color, vitreous luster, cubic crystal system. Citrine: Hardness 7, pale yellow-clear, vitreous luster, hexagonal (trigonal) system.

Formation & geological history

Garnets typically form in metamorphic rocks like schist under high pressure. Citrine quartz forms in igneous pegmatites or via hydrothermal activity, often as amethyst heated by the earth.

Uses & applications

Both are widely used in jewelry as gemstones. Garnet is also used industrially as an abrasive for waterjet cutting and sandblasting.

Geological facts

Garnet is the birthstone for January and has been used in jewelry since the Bronze Age. Natural citrine is rare; most commercial citrine is heat-treated amethyst.

Field identification & locations

Identify Garnet by its dodecahedral crystal habit (often 12-sided) and high density. Identify Citrine by its hardness (scratches glass) and lack of cleavage. Common in metamorphic belts (Garnet) and volcanic regions (Quartz).

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