Under what conditions does Garnet form?

Under what conditions does Garnet form?

Most garnet forms when a sedimentary rock with high aluminium content, such as shale, is metamorphosed (subjected to heat and pressure). The high heat and pressure breaks the chemical bonds in the rocks and cause minerals to recrystallise.

Where are garnets formed?

The rock-forming garnets are most common in metamorphic rocks. A few occur in igneous rocks, especially granites and granitic pegmatites. Garnets derived from such rocks occur sporadically in clastic sediments and sedimentary rocks.

What makes garnet red?

The exact cause of the various colors is suggested to be due to chemicals present in the garnet. Iron may impart red and yellow-green; yellow, orange and black (often with titanium); also purple when chromium is also present as well.

How can you tell a garnet?

Examine the color closely. If the stone has hints of orange or other earthy tones — other than red — it’s likely a garnet. Rubies are considered best with a vivid redness, but sometimes they have purplish or bluish secondary hues. Another way to determine if your stone is a ruby or a garnet is to examine the spectrum.

Are garnets expensive?

Prices range from $500 a carat for good colors with some inclusions, to $2,000 to $7,000 for clean larger stones with top color. Demantoid garnet is the rarest and most valuable of the garnets and is one of the rarest of all colored gemstones.

Do garnets scratch easily?

Do garnets scratch easily? No, they do not scratch easily. Steel for example has a ‘hardness rating’ of 5 on the Mohs scale. So a garnet would be able to scratch steel, but steel won’t be able to scratch a garnet.

Is Garnet a precious stone?

Garnet is not a specific gemstone. Rather, it is a group of common silicate minerals that have similar structures and components. Major garnet types are Almandine, Andradite, Carbuncle, Grossular, Hessonite, Pyrope, Rhodolite, Spessartine, Topazolite and Uvarovite.