Garnets are a group of silicate minerals that comprise different species among which the most common are pyrope, almandine, spessartine and grossular.

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Garnets are a group of silicate minerals that comprise different species among which the most common are pyrope, almandine, spessartine and grossular. All possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The species in this sample is Almandine, the iron-alumina variety with chemical formula Fe3Al2(SiO4)3. It has a characteristic brownish red colour, more rarely tending towards purple or violet. It occurs in schist and other metamorphic rocks, often in well-developed rhombic dodecahedra as seen in this sample, collected near the Otztal, Tirol. Actual width of sample is 40 cm.

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Size: 5616px × 3744px
Photo credit: © DIRK WIERSMA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: almandine, austria, dodecahedra, garnet, mineral, otztal, rhombic, schist, silicate