Almandine

Unknown Owner

With a name like Garnet Hill, it is clear what type of mineral might be found there in Robinson District, White Pine Co., Nevada, USA. What has been less clear is which species of garnet the crystals are that are found there. Frequently labelled as the manganese garnet, Spessartine, as was this sample, all analyses show the crystals from Garnet Hill to be manganese-bearing Almandine. Never large, the crystals found at Garnet Hill can be really well defined, and this miniature specimen is no exception, featuring two wonderful trapezohedral crystals, the largest reaching 5 mm in diameter. Almost black in colour, they are actually incredibly dark wine-red, and sit nicely protruding from a small cavity in orange matrix.