RocksdayGarnet vs Pyrope
How to tell them apart
A family of silicate minerals that grow as round, many-faced crystals. Deep red almandine studding schist is the classic find.
Photo: Moha112100, CC BY-SA 3.0
Blood-red magnesium garnet formed deep in the mantle and carried up by volcanic eruptions.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0
Key differences
- Almandine is darker, more purplish and heavier.
Side by side
| Property | Garnet | Pyrope |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 7–7.5 | 7–7.5 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Vitreous |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Red, Brown | Red |
| Crystal system | Cubic | Cubic |
| Specific gravity | 3.9–4.3 | 3.58–3.65 |
| Formula | Fe₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ (almandine) | Mg₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ |
| Found in | Gore Mountain, New York; Emerald Creek, Idaho | Bohemia, Czech Republic; Garnet Ridge, Arizona |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify garnet
- Ball-shaped crystals with 12 or 24 faces.
- Deep wine-red to brown.
- Scratches glass.
- Often embedded in mica schist.
Crystal system: Cubic
Full Garnet guide →How to identify pyrope
- Fiery blood red, often as small rounded grains.
- Hardness 7–7.5.
- Commonly loose grains in volcanic or kimberlite ground.
Crystal system: Cubic
Full Pyrope guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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