Almandine is the most common member of the garnet group, frequently found as well-formed dodecahedral crystals in metamorphic schists. Collectors look for sharp crystal forms and deep, intense red colors, often embedded within foliated mica-rich rocks.
Is this almandine garnet?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch almandine garnet with a known reference. Almandine Garnet sits at Mohs 7-7.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Almandine Garnet leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Almandine Garnet typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, brownish-red, deep red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: dodecahedral or trapezohedral crystals.
Often confused with
Almandine Garnet vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside almandine garnet
Minerals reported to co-occur with almandine garnet. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃
- Mohs hardness
- 7-7.5
- Density
- 4.31 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Dodecahedral or Trapezohedral Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Gemstone, Abrasive, Collector
- Host rock
- Metamorphic Rocks Like Schist and Gneiss
- Typical price
- $10-100 per specimen
Where rockhounds find almandine garnet
24 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- India
- USA
- Austria
- Sri Lanka
- Madagascar
U.S. states with almandine garnet
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce almandine garnet.
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic rocks like schist and gneiss country, the host setting where almandine garnet typically forms. If you start seeing staurolite, kyanite, biotite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a dodecahedral or trapezohedral crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Maine, North Carolina, Idaho. Start trip planning there.
More almandine garnet photos
Common questions
How do you identify almandine garnet?+
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Find almandine garnet on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
