ROCK FORMING MINERAL

-GARNET

-CAMILA S. MACARIO
BSCE 2A
• WHAT IS GARNET?
- The name was coined by a german theologian, Albrecht von
Bollstadt (1193-1280) from the Latin granatus, from granum ('grain,
seed'), referring to the red seeds in pomegranate, which resemble the
mineral.
-Garnet is a group of six minerals which are isomorphous in
nature and never occur pure as represented by their chemical
composition.
-Garnet is a dense and hard silicate mineral which occurs in
many rock types, but it is especially common in some metamorphic
rocks like schist and amphibolite.
-It is a common rock-forming mineral in some igneous rocks
such as granite and basalt.
GARNET
• GENERAL FORMULA: X3Y2(SiO4)3
Where:
X – Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn
Y - Fe, Al, Cr
Garnet type Name Chemical Symbol Description
from the Greek pyropós
Pyrope Mg3Al2(SiO4) 3 red in colour
meaning ‘fire-eyed’

sometimes called almandite, or

from Alabanda, a region in carbuncle, it is deep red,
Almandine Turkey where these stones Fe3Al2(SiO4) 3 brownish red or black, and
were cut in ancient times ranges from fully transparent
to opaque

mostly orange in colour and

Spessartine from Spessart in Germany Mn3Al2(SiO4) 3
found in granite pegmatities

commonly green, but may be

from the botanical name for
Grossular Ca3Al2(SiO4) 3 brown (cinnamon stone
the gooseberry, grossularia
variety), red, and yellow

named after Count Uvarov of

Uvarovite Ca3Cr2(SiO4) 3 a rare bright green garnet
Russia

named after the Portuguese may be red, yellow, brown,

Andradite Ca3Fe2(SiO4) 3
mineralogist, d’Andrada green (demantoid)
 USES OF GARNET
• It is widely used for architectural facades, construction materials, ornamental stone and
monuments. Over 40% of dimension stone quarried is granite. Crushed granite is used as a
durable construction material in asphalt and concrete used in highway and infrastructure
projects.

• Garnet Abrasives - The first industrial use of garnet was an abrasive. That allows it to be
used as an effective abrasive in many types of manufacturing.

• Water Jet Cutting - A machine known as a water jet cutter produces a high-pressure jet of
water with entrained abrasive granules of garnet which is used in cutting metals, stones,
etc.

• Abrasive Blasting - Garnet granules are also used in abrasive blasting to smooth, clean, or
to remove oxidation products from metals, brick, stone, and other materials.
• Filtration – Garnet granules are often used as a filter media. Small garnet
practices are used to fill a container through which a liquid flows.

• Gemstone – Garnet is used as gemstones due to its wide variety of colors,

luster, and hardness.

• Garnet as a Geological Indicator Mineral – it is an indicator mineral for

prospecting diamond.
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

• 1. Color: Red, brown, black, green, yellow orange, pink, white, and blue (very
rare)
• 2. Streak: Colorless
• 3. Luster: Resinous, dull, vitreous
• 4. Cleavage: Absent
• 5. Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven
• 6. Hardness: 6.5 to 8.0
• 7. Specific Gravity: High
• 8. Transparency: Transparent to transluscent
• 9. Habit: Euhedral to Subhedral
 Green uvarovite garnets

Orange coloured spessartine

garnet crystals Garnet crystal