Malaia garnet

Malaia garnet
Malaia garnet
General
Category Varietal name
Chemical formula (Mg,Mn)3Al2(SiO4)3 [1]
Identification
Color light to dark slightly pinkish orange, reddish orange, yellowish orange
Crystal system cubic [1]
Cleavage none, may show indistinct parting [1]
Fracture conchoidal [1]
Mohs scale hardness 7 - 7.5 [1]
Luster vitreous [1]
Specific gravity 3.78 - 3.85 [1]
Polish luster vitreous to subadamantine[1]
Optical properties Single refractive, often anomalous double refractive [1]
Refractive index 1.760 (+.020, -.018) [1]
Birefringence none [1]
Pleochroism none [1]
Ultraviolet fluorescence inert [1]
Absorption spectra strong lines at 410, 420, 430nm, that may merge to form cutoff below 435nm. Also some combination of lines at 460, 480, 504, 520, or 573nm.[1]

Malaia garnet or Malaya garnet is a gemological varietal name for light to dark slightly pinkish orange, reddish orange, or yellowish orange garnet, that are of a mixture of pyrope, and spessartite. It is found in east Africa, in the Umba Valley bordering Tanzania and Kenya.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n (Gia), Gemological. Gem Reference Guide. City: Gemological Institute of America (GIA), 1988. ISBN 0-87311-019-6
  2. ^ Garnet(Almandine, Rhodolite, Pyrope, Demantoid, Tsavorite, Hessonite, Grossular, Spessartine) Course notes at the Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin website, accessed January 27, 2007
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