Pyrope is a magnesium-aluminum member of the garnet group known for its intense, deep red color and high clarity. Collectors typically find these as rounded, water-worn pebbles in stream gravels or as sharp, dodecahedral crystals embedded in kimberlite matrices. It is frequently distinguished from other red garnets by its lower density and distinctive spectral signature.
Is this pyrope 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 pyrope garnet with a known reference. Pyrope 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. Pyrope Garnet leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Pyrope Garnet typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: deep red, purplish-red, reddish-orange.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: dodecahedral and trapezohedral crystals.
Often confused with
Pyrope Garnet vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside pyrope garnet
Minerals reported to co-occur with pyrope garnet. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃
- Mohs hardness
- 7-7.5
- Density
- 3.58 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Dodecahedral and Trapezohedral Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector, Abrasive
- Host rock
- Ultramafic Igneous Rocks Like Peridotite and Kimberlite Pipes
- Typical price
- $10-100 per carat for faceted gems, $5-50 for mineral specimens
Where rockhounds find pyrope garnet
3 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Czech Republic
- USA
- South Africa
- Russia
- Sri Lanka
Field-hunting tip
Look in ultramafic igneous rocks like peridotite and kimberlite pipes country — that is the host setting where pyrope garnet typically forms. If you start seeing peridot, diamond, diopside in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a dodecahedral and trapezohedral crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in North Carolina, Utah — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find pyrope garnet on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
