Abstract: Chemical composition, crystal structure, refractive index, specific gravity, color, and luster were studied fur pyrope-almandine series garnets. The main coloring agents determining the reddish or brownish garnets were also investigated. It was also examined if there is any relationship between mineralogical properties with respect to the various chemical compositions in the solid solution, in the hope to figure out the existing classification values of R.I. and S.G. using gem- testing facilities to distinguish pyrope from almadine. It was found that 17 out of the 24 specimens belong to pyrope and the rest almandine. R.I. of pyrope goes up to 1.77 and that of almandine is higher than the value.5.5. of pyrope reaches to 3.88 and that of almandine is greater than the value of pyrope. X-ray diffraction data revealed that pyrope-almandine garnets are isometric with space group Ia3d, and also show that the variation of cell parameters are not significant enough to parallel with the chemical compositions of the series. R.I. and S.G. increase with FeO content. Fe and Mn are most responsible to the red-purple and orange coloration of the specimens, respectively. Both zircon and rutile crystals are most common inclusions in the reddish stones.
Publication Year: 2003
Publication Date: 2003-03-29
Language: en
Type: article
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