MELANITE
Specimen mln-1

Dims: 3" x 3" x 2-3/4"

Wt: 15.1 oz

La Prieta Linda Mine, Chihuahua, Mexico

This piece represents the black variety of Andradite Garnet, known as Melanite. A cluster of this variety constitutes a face on the specimen, lining a slightly hollowed area. The largest of the exposed crystal faces measures 7/16 inch in diameter, and it denotes the commonly-occurring dodecahedral shape throughout the cluster. There are no complete, individual crystals, just many interconnecting ones. These faces have small but very neat geometric growth patterns on each of them. This rock is pretty neat!

Dims: 2.18" x 1.88" x 1"(5.5 x 4.8 x 2.5)

Wt: 1.49 oz.(42.3 g)

Yellow Cat Claim, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.

Many small crystals of Melanite adorn this specimen. They measure from less than 1 mm to about 5 mm in diameter. All occur in the dodecahedral form that is common for most garnets. They are unquestionably black in color, and even the smaller sized crystals are completely opaque under bright light. Their luster is vitreous and only a few of them show damage or incompleteness. Most of them are concentrated in hollows that occur along a fault running through the host rock(which, incidentally, I can't identify), but in one spot that doesn't adjoin the fault there is a small group. These are garnets that I would call truly black!

Dims: 3.9" x 2.5" x 2.3"(9.9 x 6.4 x 5.8 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 6.1 oz.(626 g)

El Azabache Mine, Lazaro Cardenas, Chihuahua, Mexico

One of the larger specimens that I have seen of this material, this piece is made up almost entirely of a titanian Andradite garnet that is called Melanite. The crystals are not completely individual, as they are heavily packed together and only a few faces of each crystal are visible. They have a black color with hints of brown, a pearly-to-vitreous luster, and are opaque. The crystals occur in the dodecahedral form, with visible growth patterns on their faces and very thin secondary faces truncating each edge. Though the only large crystals are those on the natural surface of the specimen, there are several layers of smaller, intergrown garnets that are visible under the main layer. They are more brown in coloration and are heavily damaged, as they are at the place where the specimen was broken off of its place of origin.

Dims: 2.2" x 2.1" x 1.4" (5.6 x 5.3 x 3.6 cm)

Wt: 5.34 oz. (146.3 g)

El Azabache Mine, Lazaro Cardenas, Chihuahua, Mexico

This hand specimen consists of a cluster made up of several intergrown titanian Andradite garnets that are sometimes known as "Melanite". Although none are complete due to their intergrowth, their dodecahedral form is plainly visible due to the excellence of their form. The visible faces and edges of each crystal are quite clean, and almost all of the damage done to them is limited to those crystals on the edges of the specimen. All have a black color with dark brown highlights that can be seen on the broken faces of the edgeward crystals and a vitreous luster. They are all also opaque. The only other material present in the specimen besides Melanite is a chalky, cream-colored substance that I cannot identify.

Dims: 1.5" x 1.5" x 1.1" (3.8 x 3.8 x 2.8 cm)

Wt: 2.12 oz. (60.3 g)

El Azabache Mine, Lazaro Cardenas, Chihuahua, Mexico

Though small and showing considerable damage, this little Melanite specimen is my favorite. Less than 10 crystals are intergrown in the specimen. Though none are complete, the largest crystal, measuring almost 1.1" (2.8 cm) in diameter, is more complete than any other Melanite crystal that I have seen! Like its smaller intergrown relatives, it occurs in the dodecahedral form that is common for most garnets, and has generally clean edges and faces which show interesting growth patterns that are aligned with each face. This large crystal has the most damage, with several chipped edges, but its form is intact. All of the crystals are colored black with dark brown highlights and have a vitreous luster. They only show a dim translucence at their edges and corners. There is no host rock attached to this specimen, and no other material besides Melanite.

Dims: 2.2" x 1.7" x 1.2" (5.6 x 4.3 x 3.0 cm)

Wt: 3.46 oz. (98.1 g)

El Azabache Mine, Lazaro Cardenas, Chihuahua, Mexico

This small specimen consists of a cluster of intergrown Melanite crystals that show excellent form and only a small amount ofdamage away from the specimen's edges. They occur as dodecahedrons, but due to their heavy intergrowth, are incomplete. Size estimates from visible faces place their diameters in a range from 0.2 - 0.5" (0.5 - 1.3 cm). All have clean edges and faces that show growth patterns that are aligned with them. They have a black color with dark brown highlights and a bright, vitreous luster, and are opaque. Besides a small amount of a chalky, cream-colored host rock, there is no other material.

Dims: 4.7 x 3.6 x 2.6" (11.9 x 9.1 x 6.6 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 5.0 oz. (1.049 kg)

San Benito County, California, U.S.A.

This large hand specimen is dusted with hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny Andradite garnet crystals. They are of the variety known as "Melanite", and are generally in excellent condition- only a few of the larger crystals are visibly damaged. They range in diameter from far less than 1 mm up to 0.2" (5 mm), and show excellent dodecahedral form, with well-defined edges and clean faces. They possess the black color that is standard for melanite and the vitreous luster that is standard for garnets, and are completely opaque. I am tempted to think that the host rock is made of talc or some other very soft material, as it is soft enough to be scratched with a fingernail.

Dims: 2.4 x 1.6 x 1.5" (5.9 x 4.0 x 3.7 cm)

Wt: 3.71 oz. (105.3 g)

El Azabache Mine, Lazaro Cardenas, Chihuahua, Mexico

This hand specimen consists of a crust of heavily-intergrown Andradite crystals. These crystals are generally in good condition, showing a small amount of damage, and are so heavily intergrown that none can be considered individuals. The largest have maximum visible dimensions of 0.5" (1.3 cm) and are less than 50% exposed. They are of a variety of Andradite known as Melanite, and thus have a black color. Their luster is a slightly dull vitreous, and all are opaque. The crust that they comprise rests on a dull, pale brown base rock that I cannot define.

Dims: 3.3 x 2.6 x 1.2" (8.4 x 6.6 x 3.1 cm)

Wt: 6.55 oz. (185.8 g)

El Azabache Mine, Lazaro Cardenas, Chihuahua, Mexico

This hand-sized piece consists almost entirely of Melanite, a black variety of Andradite. The crystals that are visible are so heavily intergrown that they cannot be studied as individuals, and are each less than 50% integral and exposed. Their exposed portions do not exceed 0.5" (1.3 cm) in diameter and show excellent though slightly disseminated dodecahedral form. They have the black color that is standard for the variety and a bright, vitreous luster, and are opaque. Only a very small crust of a chalky, pale-brown material is attached.

Dims: 1.14x0.98x0.34" (2.91x2.49x0.88cm)

Wt: 0.30oz (8.4g)

San Benito County, California, USA

This is a melanite garnet, the black variety of andradite. All of the garnets have a 12-sided form, with each face having a diamond shape (rhombic dodecahedrons). There is a layer where the melanite appears almost massive, making it clear that the garnets fill a crevice in the host rock, forming good faces only where the cavity opened up.