Grossularite Garnet natural gemstone beads

The garnets are differently colored minerals all with a common crystal structure and varying (but related) chemical compositions, with members ranging from the common red almandite to the rare green tsavorite and demantoid. Six common varieties of garnet are recognized based on their chemical composition. They are pyrope, almandine, spessartite, grossularite, uvarovite and andradite.

Grossularite garnet is a calcium-aluminum garnet. The name grossularite is derived from the botanical name for the gooseberry, grossularia. The grossularite group includes the light to medium green grossularite; the cinnamon-colored hessonite; the colorless leuco garnet; a dense opaque green garnet called hydrogrossular; and the rare and valuable deep green tsavorite garnet, colored by chromium. Grossularite garnet ranges in color from lemon yellow to greenish-yellow, yellowish-green and even mint green.

Grossularite varies in hardness from 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. The best specimens of grossularite can easily be confused with the more expensive demantoid garnet. Garnet's good hardness combined with its absence of cleavage makes it a very durable natural gemstone beads for all kinds of jewelry.

Deposits of grossularite are found in a number of locations, including Canada (Quebec), the USA (Vermont), Africa (South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Mali), Russia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.