Green Garnet Specimen from Malaysia

Description

Garnets are gemstone species. They are not made using just a single mineral. In fact, they are a group of closely associated minerals available in different colors and chemical compositions.

The term “garnet” is derived from granatum, an old Latin word that stands for dark red. Another connotation is that its grainy or granulated form is similar to pomegranate seeds. This applies to red garnets.

Garnets as a group are commonly found in a few igneous as well as highly metamorphosed rock formations. They are formed naturally amidst high temperatures or pressures, which these rocks are capable of withstanding. They are highly variable in colors and varieties, of which many are rare and beautiful.

One such rare and brilliantly stunning garnet is a green garnet. It is composed of calcium, aluminum, silicate and fits into the grossular and andradite categories of garnet. There are two green garnets and they belong to the grossular and tsavorite types.

The grossularite garnet is typically yellow-green, golden-green, or olive-green, while the Tsavorite is chrome green.