THE MINERAL SPESSARTINE

  • Chemistry: Mn3Al2(SiO4)3, Manganese Aluminum Silicate
  • Class: Silicates
  • Subclass: Nesosilicates
  • Group: Garnets
  • Uses: abrasive, mineral specimens and as a gemstone
  • See our natural Spessartine Mineral Specimens
    For Garnet Jewelry, see: GARNET JEWELRY
Spessartine, like other garnets, forms rounded crystals with 12 rhombic or 24 trapezoidal faces or combinations of these and some other forms. This crystal habit is classic for the garnet minerals. Spessartine is formed in manganese rich metamorphic environments and in some granitic pegmatites. Spessartine is somewhat rare but occasionally will accompany other minerals and make a nice accessory mineral to an outstanding mineral specimen.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Color is orange, reddish brown, brown, pink and yellow.
  • Luster is vitreous.
  • Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent.
  • Crystal System is isometric; 4/m bar 3 2/m
  • Crystal Habits include the typical rhombic dodecahedron. But more commonly is found as the 24 sided trapezohedron. Combinations of these forms are common and sometimes the rare faces of the hexoctahedron, a 48 sided crystal habit that rarely is seen by itself, can also combine with these other forms making very attractive, complex and multifaceted crystals. Massive and granular occurrences are also seen.
  • Cleavage is absent.
  • Fracture is conchoidal.
  • Hardness is 7
  • Specific Gravity is approximately 4.19 or less (above average for translucent minerals).
  • Streak is white.
  • Associated Minerals are feldspars, quartz, tourmalines, topaz, beryl, rhodonite and other manganese minerals.
  • Other Characteristics: index of refraction is 1.80
  • Notable Occurrences are Pakistan; Madagascar; Brazil and Sri Lanka.
  • Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, color, and hardness.
SPESSARTINE specimens:
(hover for more info)
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-1
$ 67.50
Dims: 3" x 2-3/4" x 1-1/4"
Wt: 6.3oz
Nevada, U.S.A.
This specimen contains 3 very dark red Spessartine Garnets, ranging in size from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in diameter. They are in a classic trapezohedral shape, and lie in vugs that are lined with tiny Quartz crystals. At this present time, this is the only example of Spessartine that we have- it's not easy to come by. The garnets really stand out against their light matrix background. The stones are so dark that it takes some close looking to get a glimpse of the color.
no photo
sps-1 ($ 67.50)
Nevada, U.S.A.
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-2
$ 20.00
Dims: 0.4" x 0.3" x 0.3"(1.0 x 0.8 x 0.8 cm)
Wt: 1.8 g. w/ foam base
Ermo Mine, Carnauba das Dantao, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
This single Spessartine crystal has a rather warped shape but an amazing color! The shape most closely resembles a trapezohedron in shape, but has substantial breakage and is incomplete on one side. The intact faces have a vitreous luster and allow one to see a small distance into the crystal, whose transparence is interrupted by the presence of veil-like inclusions and internal fractures. It has a bright orange color that is reminiscent of some fire opals, and is very noticeable.
no photo
sps-2 ($ 20.00)
Ermo Mine, Carnauba das Dantao, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-3
$ 60.00
Dims: 1.5" x 1.3" x 0.9"(3.8 x 3.3 x 2.3 cm)
Wt: 1.01 oz.(28.8 g)
Parelhas, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
At least six complete Spessartine crystals rest on the Albite base of this matrix. They range in size from 2 mm to 0.4"(1.0 cm) in diameter and occur in the trapezohedral form that is common for garnets. They have an orange-red color that almost makes me think of hessonite, a vitreous luster, and are transparent and have excellent clarity. All display internal fractures, the largest garnet has some minor damage to some of its edges, and one of the others is not quite complete, but the rest are quite clean. The remains of many broken crystals are scattered around these, as are a large chunk of quartz and a few misshapen muscovite books.
no photo
sps-3 ($ 60.00)
Parelhas, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-4
$ 36.00
Dims: 2.0" x 1.5" x 1.5"(5.1 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm)
Wt: 2.75 oz.(78.0 g)
Parelhas, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
There are at least 4 complete crystals of Spessartine garnet on the albite host rock of this Brazilian specimen. They range in size from 0.1 - 0.2"(2 -6 mm) in diameter and have good trapezohedral form. Their color is a moderate orange-red, they have a vitreous luster, and the largest crystal is dimly transparent, whereas the smaller crystals are even clearer. Their form is good, and they are complete, with almost no damage. Several other crystals are scattered about the specimen; they are all damaged, and most are incomplete. All of the crystals rest on a bed of microscopic platelets of muscovite, and a large, formless hunk of crystalline quartz is embedded in the matrix.
no photo
sps-4 ($ 36.00)
Parelhas, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-6
$ 35.00
Dims: 4.7" x 3.0" x 0.1" (11.9 x 7.6 x 0.3 cm)
Wt: 1.00 oz. (28.5 g)
Deer Park Mine, Mitchell County, North Carolina, U.S.A.
One of the most interesting specimens that I have seen, this piece consists of a thin partial-book of muscovite in which is embedded a single Spessartine garnet crystal. It is in excellent condition, showing no visible damage, but its crystal form is difficult to determine, as it appears "squashed", due to its growth in a very flat, narrow space. There are a few warped crystal faces visible on one side, and the other is nearly flat, showing a vitreous luster. It has a deep red coloration with a hint of brown, and is transparent and clear enough to see a few internal flaws. Specimens like this one are likely rather common, but one does not see many on the market.
no photo
sps-6 ($ 35.00)
Deer Park Mine, Mitchell County, North Carolina, U.S.A.
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-7
$ 60.00
Dims:1.5x0.9x0.6" (3.8x2.3x1.5 cm)
Wt: 0.5oz. (15g)
Corrego do Urucum, Minas Gerais, Brazil
This specimen consists of several very small spessartine garnet crystals growing on a tabular quartz crystal with albite, variety cleavelandite. The spessartines exhibit good dodecahedral form, and are nearly transparent. Some of the spessartines on this specimen are damaged.
no photo
sps-7 ($ 60.00)
Corrego do Urucum, Minas Gerais, Brazil
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-8
$ 95.00
Dims: 1.62x0.86x0.75" (4.10x2.19x1.90cm)
Wt: 0.84oz (23.9g)
Fujian Provence, China
This is an excellent specimen of spessartine garnet, with very well-formed crystals and a lovely orange color. The thick layer of crystals completely covers one side of the host rock and are thus somewhat intergrown yet there characteristic garnet shapes are readily apparent, expecially on the largest crystals. Their vitreous luster is dulled slightly by fine striations on every face, which still alow examination of the transparent interior of the crystals. There is very little damage to this specimen - a loupe reveals that the tiny white spots are encrustations of the host rock, and the only damage is a few barely perceptible dings on a crystal edge and a point.
no photo
sps-8 ($ 95.00)
Fujian Provence, China
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-9
$ 35.00
Dims: 1.37x0.92x0.46" (3.48x2.33x1.16cm)
Wt: 0.50oz (14.1g)
Fujian Provence, China
This is a good thumbnail specimen of the garnet spessartine. The crystals come in two groups. The larger crystals are transparent and a brown-orange color, with excellent garnet-like crystals showing a vitreous luster. There are also areas where the spessartine crystals are very thin, having grown flat against the substrate (possibly limited in growth by an adjacent rock), and these crystals appear yellow and do not look like typical garnets. Yet they clearly are, as the transition is smooth, they have the same luster, and the same striations on all crystal faces.
no photo
sps-9 ($ 35.00)
Fujian Provence, China
SPESSARTINE specimen sps-10
$ 25.00
Dims: 1.33x1.03x0.55" (3.37x2.62x1.41cm)
Wt: 0.50oz (14.1g)
Fujian Province, China
Two dozen perfect orange spessartine garnet crystals adorn the albite and quartz host rock of this specimen. The spesartine crystals form a thick chain running the length of the specimen. Surrounding it are many patches of a light orange color, which a loupe shows to be damaged spessartine crystals. The white is all albite, the gray is smoky quartz.
no photo
sps-10 ($ 25.00)
Fujian Province, China
 

Copyright ©1995-2023 by Amethyst Galleries, Inc.