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Spessartine

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Spessartine, a manganese-rich garnet, is rarely seen as display-worthy crystals except at three or four notable localities worldwide. Of these, each produces its own distinctive form: from deep burgundy-coloured crystals embedded in Galena at the Broken Hill mines in New South Wales, Australia to large golden-orange individual rounded crystals from Tanzania. Those from the Wushan Spessartine mine (not so much a mine, but a series of small quarries) at Tongbei in Fujian Province, China are perhaps the most complex crystallographic form, and also the most intensely coloured. This superb miniature specimen from Wushan Spessartine mine comprises a thin bed of extremely lustrous orange-red complex cubo-trapezohedral Spessartine crystals with superb parallel growth lines. Individually, these reach 9 mm in diameter and display superb transparency, creating an intense internal 'fire' when light is directed upon them. The crystals are grown alongside each other, but many stand up, meaning that their amazing structural form can be enjoyed. A truly magnificent Spessartine.

Product details

SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions6.5 x 5.7 x 2.0 cm
Added on09/27/2025
Current owner
Unknown Owner
Acquired
Jul 2026
Price paid
$1,750.00
Previous owners
DateCollectorAcquisition price
—Crystal ClassicsNot disclosed

Learn more

Spessartine
Mineral guide
Learn about Spessartine
(Mn3Al2Si3O12) is the vivid orange garnet prized for gemmy, sharp crystals and brilliant luster; forms with smoky quartz and feldspar.
Spessartine
Regional guide
Spessartine from Wushan Spessartine Mine, China
Wushan Spessartine Mine, Tongbei Yunxiao, Fujian - famed for saturated orange spessartine with smoky quartz, a landmark locality prized by collectors.
Locality guide
Wushan Spessartine Mine
A collector's guide to Wushan Spessartine Mine, China: its geology, mining history and notable minerals, illustrated with the 558 specimens documented from this locality on EarthWonders.