metamorphic
Red grossular garnet-bearing skarn
Grossular garnet (Ca₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂), likely with epidote and quartz/calcite
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectPale pink to reddish, translucent granular crystals with vitreous luster; associated dark green epidote or amphibole and white quartz/calcite. Grossular hardness is 6.5–7.5 Mohs, cubic crystal system, typically without cleavage; exact identification needs testing.
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Physical properties
Pale pink to reddish, translucent granular crystals with vitreous luster; associated dark green epidote or amphibole and white quartz/calcite. Grossular hardness is 6.5–7.5 Mohs, cubic crystal system, typically without cleavage; exact identification needs testing.
Formation & geological history
Formed by contact metamorphism and metasomatism where calcium-rich fluids reacted with carbonate rocks, commonly during Paleozoic–Mesozoic mountain-building events. The specimen appears to be a drusy or coarse garnet skarn.
Uses & applications
Used mainly as a collector specimen; transparent grossular varieties can be gemstones, while skarn minerals have limited industrial value.
Geological facts
Grossular is a calcium-aluminum garnet and may range from colorless through pink, orange, red, yellow, and green. The green associated mineral is possibly epidote, but visual identification alone is uncertain.
Field identification & locations
Look for hard, glassy, non-cleaving garnet crystals embedded in calcite or quartz with green epidote/amphibole. Common localities include Mexico, Canada, the United States, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Madagascar.
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