Pink Garnet, often specifically identified as Grossular variety Hydrogrossular, is prized for its soft, pastel pink coloration. It typically occurs in massive form or as dodecahedral crystals and is frequently sourced from hydrothermal alteration zones in contact metamorphic rocks.
Is this pink 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 pink garnet with a known reference. Pink Garnet sits at Mohs 6.5-7.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Pink Garnet leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Pink Garnet typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, purplish-pink, rose-red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: dodecahedral crystals, trapezohedral, massive.
Often confused with
Pink Garnet vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside pink garnet
Minerals reported to co-occur with pink garnet. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7.5
- Density
- 3.5-3.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Dodecahedral Crystals, Trapezohedral, Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Gemstone, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Metamorphic Rocks, Skarns
- Typical price
- $10-50 per specimen
Where rockhounds find pink garnet
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Mexico
- Canada
- Pakistan
- USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic rocks, skarns country — that is the host setting where pink garnet typically forms. If you start seeing calcite, diopside, vesuvianite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a dodecahedral crystals, trapezohedral, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Idaho — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find pink garnet on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
