Tsavorite
Variety of grossular
Very Rare · Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃
Green grossular garnet coloured by chromium and vanadium. Named after the Tsavo area of Kenya and mined in the metamorphic rocks of Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar. Requires the unusual geological combination of vanadium-bearing sediments and calcium-rich metamorphic rocks.
Identity
- Formula
- Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃
- Chemical class
- Silicate
- Mineral group
- Demantoid, Garnet, Grossular, Spessartine, Uvarovite
- Also known as
- Green grossular garnet, Tsavolite
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Habits
- Dodecahedral, Massive
- Fracture
- Conchoidal
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 7.5
- Density
- 3.59 g/cm³
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Colors
- green, dark green, yellow-green
- Streak
- white
- Transparency
- Transparent
Geology
- Origins
- Metamorphic
- Host rocks
- Schist and gneiss, Marble
- Associated minerals
- Tanzanite, Graphite, Pyrite
- Geography
- Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar
Classification
- Rarity
- Very Rare
- Gem quality
- Yes
Arcane properties
- Affinity
- Life, Earth
- Effects
- Healing, Elemental earth
- Planar origin
- Material Plane
Sources
- Tsavorite. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- Tsavorite. Gemdat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- J. W. Anthony, R. A. Bideaux, K. W. Bladh, M. C. Nichols, Grossular. Mineral Data Publishing, Handbook of Mineralogy, 2001.
- Grossular. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- What's the difference between the two green garnets: tsavorite and demantoid?. Gemological Institute of America.
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