FMF - Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Turbo]

Today a friend told me about a blue garnet that she had seen on a TV program or something, that was discovered in the ocean somewhere. Does anyone have any information or pictures of this type of garnet? Thanks.

Ed 2

[Jordi Fabre]

Maybe you mean the "rainbow" Andradites from Kohse mine, Tenkawa, Nara, Honshu Island, Japan? -> http://www.mindat.org/photosearch.php?frm_id=mls&cform_is_valid=1&minname=andradite&cf_mls_page=1&region=tenkawa&sort=&submit_mls=Search

Jordi

[parfaitelumiere]

Hard to find these garnets, and often ugly and little.

[Peter Megaw]

There are also irridescent/opaline garnets from near Alamos in southern Sonora. These have a layer of water trapped in the crystal structure, which breaks up the light very much like a fire agate because the garnet is brown. This is a skarn system so they're probably an andradite-grossular composition.

They get to decent size...crystals to 2 cm and 5-10 ct stones are commonly available. I think I have seen that they were for sale on QVC.

There are also some spectacular 'stalactites" of these garnets...but without the fire. It looks like they formed along ribs in the skarn so when broken free they are elongate rods studded with crystal faces...but do have a contact along one side of the rod. Some of these are studded with gemmy transparent perfect dodecahedral crystals 3-4mm across....with a pumpkin orange color...killer micros!

[Turbo]

Hmmmm. None of those really look too much like her description. I've found images of "Bekily color change garnet" on google. They're supposedly from Bekily, Madagascar and can be blue/purple depending on the lighting. I can't find formal mineralogical info or photos of these garnets in the rough. This might be what she was referring to, though.

[robynahawk]

Look for color change or color shift garnet - there is one that goes to a purple - blue!

[robynahawk]

[Granate]

Traditionally said that the garnets are presented in all colors less the blue but as Lapis International in its number 11 devoted to garnet page 4 in 1990s appeared garnets blue in Bekily (Madagascar). However i have not yet seen despite having many garnets in my collection.

[Elise]

[Turbo]

Thanks! This is great!

Ed2

[MGR]

Hello
Pictures of a garnet with a color change from Madagascar.
Gilbert Valero

[Turbo]

[MGR]

Hello
Garnet is the rough that I preferred many
colors
A good IR and affordable.
Here is a
color palette found in the south change color
add a photo of a stone kornérupine unclear