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Almandine from Garnet Hill

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Choice thumbnail for this noted locality with a sharp almost black crystal of almandine 1.0 cm across set nicely on a rhyolite matrix. In super condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.Garnet Hill, located near Ely in White Pine County, Nevada, is a famous mineral site known for its dark red almandine garnets hosted within Tertiary-age rhyolitic volcanic rock. Around 32 to 40 million years ago, gas bubbles formed open cavities called vesicles as the cooling lava solidified, allowing rich fluids to crystallize well-formed garnets within the rock matrix. Prospectors first noted these dark gemstones in the 1870s while exploring the surrounding area, which later became famous for major open-pit copper extraction in the nearby Robinson Mining District. To preserve public recreational access and prevent commercial development, the United States Bureau of Land Management set aside the location as a dedicated rockhounding area in 1970. Today, amateur mineral collectors and visitors frequently search the ground, drainages, and exposed rhyolite outcrops to gather loose weathered crystals and matrix specimens.