Alternative name for spessartine garnet. Vivid orange manganese-aluminum garnet increasingly popular in fine jewelry. Color: Orange, reddish-orange. Luster: Vitreous. Streak: White. Cleavage: None. Hardness: 7-7.5. Transparency: Transparent to translucent. Crystal system: Isometric Cubic. Chemical formula: Mn₃Al₂ SiO₄ ₃. Specific gravity: 4.18. Formation: Forms in manganese-rich metamorphic rocks and in certain granitic pegmatites. Common geological settings: Namibia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Brazil; found in pegmatites and Mn-rich rocks. Common look-alikes and related entries: Hessonite, Zircon, Topaz.
These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
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GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:37:49.221174+00:00
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Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
Alternative name for spessartine garnet. Vivid orange manganese-aluminum garnet increasingly popular in fine jewelry.
How can you identify Spessartite?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Orange, reddish-orange; lustre: Vitreous; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 7-7.5; cleavage: None; crystal system: Isometric Cubic; transparency: Transparent to translucent. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Spessartite form?
Forms in manganese-rich metamorphic rocks and in certain granitic pegmatites.
Where is Spessartite commonly found?
Namibia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Brazil; found in pegmatites and Mn-rich rocks.
What is Spessartite commonly confused with?
Spessartite may be confused with Hessonite, Zircon, Topaz. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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