Almandine
Image: Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameAlmandine
Chemical FormulaFe3Al2(SiO4)3
Mohs Hardness7
Crystal Systemcubic
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal to uneven
Specific Gravity4
Colorsdeep red, reddish-brown
Transparencytranslucent
Type LocalityGranatenkogel Mt. (north slope), Gaisberg valley, Obergurgl, Ötz valley, North Tyrol, Tyrol, Austria
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, abrasives, collector
Associated Mineralsmica, quartz, feldspar
Raritycommon
Description
This specimen features multiple dark red, well-formed dodecahedral or trapezohedral almandine crystals embedded within a gray-green schist matrix.
Geological Context
Almandine typically forms in metamorphic rocks such as schist and gneiss, often indicating medium to high-grade regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments.
