Arizona Ruby is a trade name for gem-quality pyrope garnet found in the Four Corners region, often associated with peridot. These stones are known for their exceptional clarity and deep, saturated red color, often found weathered out of kimberlite pipes into desert gravels.
Is this arizona ruby 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 arizona ruby garnet with a known reference. Arizona Ruby 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. Arizona Ruby Garnet leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Arizona Ruby Garnet typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, deep red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: dodecahedral or trapezohedral crystals.
Often confused with
Arizona Ruby Garnet vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside arizona ruby garnet
Minerals reported to co-occur with arizona ruby garnet. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂
- Mohs hardness
- 7-7.5
- Density
- 3.5-3.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Dodecahedral or Trapezohedral Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Gemstone, Lapidary, Collector
- Host rock
- Kimberlite Pipes and Alluvial Gravels
- Typical price
- $5-50 per carat for finished gems
Where rockhounds find arizona ruby garnet
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Navajo Nation (Arizona)
- Czech Republic
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
Field-hunting tip
Look in kimberlite pipes and alluvial gravels country — that is the host setting where arizona ruby garnet typically forms. If you start seeing peridot, diopside, ilmenite 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 Utah — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify arizona ruby garnet?+
Where is arizona ruby garnet found?+
Can I find arizona ruby garnet in the United States?+
How much is arizona ruby garnet worth?+
What rocks look like arizona ruby garnet?+
What minerals are found with arizona ruby garnet?+
What kind of rock does arizona ruby garnet form in?+
What is arizona ruby garnet used for?+
Find arizona ruby garnet on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
