Rhodolite Garnet Gemstone & Information | Gemopedia by JTV | Gemopedia™
Unusually striking, rhodolite is a naturally occurring blend of almandite and pyrope garnet. While raspberry is the most prized color, rhodolite is also found in shades of pink through lavender, including the ruddy purples of its namesake, the rhododendron flower. Rhodolite is typically found as water-worn pebbles in alluvial deposits, but it is also occasionally mined directly from host metamorphic rock. Tough, durable, never enhanced and easily cleaned, rhodolite is ideal for jewelry. Due to its bright transparent clarity, rhodolite is often cut into fantasy shapes.
Light To Dark Purplish Red Through Reddish Purple
Rhodolite-garnet classificationCommonNameRhodolite GarnetSpeciesPyrope-AlmanditeVarietyRhodolite GarnetColorsLight To Dark Purplish Red Through Reddish PurpleAlternateNamesGemstoneGroupsGarnetKeySeparationsRI, SR nature and spectrum.ClassificationCommentsStones are only rhodolite garnet if there is a purple component to the color.
Rhodolite-garnet chemistry & crystallographyChemicalNamemagnesium iron aluminum silicateChemicalFormula((Mg,Fe)3AL2(SiO4)3)SynthesisCrystalSystemCubicChemistryClassificationSilicateNatureNaturalCrystallinityCrystallineChemistryComments
Rhodolite-garnet optical propertiesTransparencyTransparentDispersionStrength: moderate fire Value: 0.022OpticalCommentsRefractiveIndex1.75-1.78BirefringenceOpticCharacterNAOpticSignNAPolariscopeReactionSingly Refractive (SR) With ADRFluorescenceSWUV: Inert
Rhodolite-garnet characteristic physical propertiesHardness7-7.5CharacteristicCommentsStreakWhiteSpecificGravity3.74-3.94 Range:0.1/-0.1 Typical:3.84ToughnessGoodInclusionsRhodolite garnet is a type II clarity stone. Needle like inclusions, zircon crystals with stain halos and irregular rounded included crystals that might be zircon or apatite.LusterVitreousStabilityGoodFractureConchoidalCleavageNone