Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Lago Jaco, Coahuila, Mexico
SIZE : 8 cm at edge

This outstanding monocrystal of grossular is a great rhombododecaedral (12 diamond-shaped faces) colored in light pink. Faces measures 8 cm at edges.

This sample, acquired thanks to support from Total, comes from Lago Jaco mineral deposit in Mexico.

This sample is currently exposed in the Treasure Room, within the Gallery of Mineralogy of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle.

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © MNHN.

SPECIE : Grossulaire

HISTORY : Name inspired by the Latin " Ribes Grossularia" or gooseberry tree, in reference to its color

Species first described in 1811 by Abraham Gottlob Werner (1749-1817), German geologist

Type-locality: Akhtaragda river, Vilyui basin, Yakoutia, Siberia, Russia

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Ca3 Al2 (SiO4)3
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Cubic
COLOR : Yellow green to dark green, yellow, colorless, brown
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to opaque
LUSTER : Vitreous to resineous
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Dodecahedric crystals, trapezohedric, hexaoctahedric
HARDNESS : 6,5-7,0
DENSITY : 3,594

CHEMICAL CLASS : VIII - Silicates
GROUP : Pyrope - henritermierite
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 8/A.08-70
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 9.AD.15

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Grossulaire

Grossular

MNHN N°194.32

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