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
22 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 — that is 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.
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.
