Grossular: photo, description, magical properties of the stone, which zodiac sign is suitable

Grossular deposits

The formation of grossulars occurs when alkaline magma interacts with dolomite and limestone rock at high temperatures. Stone deposits are found in limestones and basalts; they are found on all continents. Thus, on the territory of Russia, beautiful yellow-orange specimens were found in the south and central regions of the Urals, green grossulars were found in the Primorsky and Krasnoyarsk territories. Large deposits are known in the Murmansk region, Karelia, Sakha-Yakutia, the North Caucasus and central Siberia. High-quality grossulars are also mined in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico, USA, Finland and Canada.

Green pomegranate - the history of the name Uvarovit

The description of the nugget was first encountered in 1832 in the research of Academician G.I. Hess, who named the new stone in honor of Count S.S. Uvarov, who is the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Most mineralogists were of the opinion that S.S. Uvarov did not deserve this, since he was an extremely unpleasant person. As Minister of Education, he stole government firewood and tightened supervision over educational institutions. A.S. Pushkin wrote malicious poems about Uvarov because of the constant censorship commissions with which he hounded the poet (maybe because the poet allowed himself to sleep with the count’s wife...).

But, be that as it may, the new gem of amazing green color received an official name in the nomenclature of mineralogy - uvarovite, a green variety of garnet.

History of grossular

The grossular was first described at the end of the 18th century, when the scientist E. Laxman discovered a specimen of it in Yakutia. A couple of years later, the find was once again identified in the work of P.S. Pallas under the name of pomegranate. And only almost twenty years later A.G. Werner classified this mineral as a separate species. At first, he called the stone found in Ceylon kanelstein, that is, cinnamon stone. But later he renamed it grossular, which is translated from Latin as “gooseberry”, and indicates a beautiful and unusual shade of the gem.

Chemical composition

Chemical theoretical composition for pyrope Ca3Al2(SiO4)3: CaO—37.35, Al2O3—22.65, SiO2—40.0. The highest content of CaO is 37.10%. Al is replaced by Fe3+, Cr; Ca is replaced by Mg, Mn, Fe2+. There is a continuous isomorphic series grossular - andradite; Apparently, the isomorphic series grossular - uvarovite is also continuous. Samples from the Orijärvi and Pitkäranta skarns contain 0.1–0.49% ZnO, and mineral specimens from Uzbekistan contain 0.09–0.2% SnO2. In samples from a crystal-bearing vein among the skarns of the Maidantal intrusion (Western Tien Shan) the following was found (cm3/kg): CO2—0.4—1.9, CH4—O—0.2, N2—13.1—39.2, Ar - up to 0.40; in grossular andradite: CO2—3.2, H2—1.2, CH4—0.2, N2—88.0, Ar—0.02, He—0.011.

Physico-chemical characteristics of grossular

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Grossular crystals, like other garnets, form twelve rhombic and twenty-four trapezoidal faces or exist in the form of combinations thereof. This habit is characteristic of garnets. According to their chemical composition, grossulars belong to calcium-aluminum garnets. Natural samples are isometric crystals, grains and solid masses.

The color range of grossular is varied and includes shades of green, yellow, brown and red. Colorless specimens are quite rare. They are transparent to the point of being translucent, fragile, have a glassy, ​​greasy or diamond luster, with a cubic system, without cleavage, conchoidal or splintered at the fracture.

The hardness of the crystals on the Mohs scale is 7.0-7.5. Specific gravity 3.57-3.73 g/cm3. Refractive index 1.730-1.760. There is no birefringence. The variance is 0.027. Pleochroism is not typical. Luminescence is weak.

How to spot a fake

Garnets, like many of its varieties, are often counterfeited, passing off as cheap minerals or glass. Only an experienced specialist can distinguish grossular from a fake. It is possible to independently identify only a fake glass by the following signs:

• Grossular is harder than glass, so it will leave a scratch on it.
• Natural stone takes longer to warm up in the palms than glass.
• Often a natural gem has inclusions in the form of dark spots.
• Uniform, too bright coloring occurs only in fakes.

Most of the grossulars are rarely large. A standard crystal reaches a size of 1 centimeter. Stones measuring 3-4 cm are very rare.

Types of grossular

Varieties of grossular are distinguished by color characteristics, which in turn are determined by the presence of certain impurities in the composition of the mineral:

• leucogranates - crystals that are as transparent as a drop of water, or it is an opaque white stone;
• hydrogrossulars - contain about 5% water in the stone composition;
• tsavorites - a subspecies of light green delicate color that has a yellow tint;
• rosolites – distinguished by a rich pink hue, found in Mexico;
• succinites – amber grossulars;
• Pakistani emeralds are high-quality crystals of soft green color with a bright shine;
• rumyantsevites - ornamental stones of pink-orange color;
• hessonites are original grossulars that, at different angles of view and at different distances, change their color from yellow to red.

Crystallographic characteristics

singonia

Cubic, hexaoctahedral c. With. 3L44L36L29PC.

Photo of crystals. Peaceful Yakutia

Crystal structure

The crystal structure, like that of all garnets, consists of isolated SiO4 groups located along a four-fold axis. This explains the rhombododecahedral and tetragontrioctahedral habit of the crystals, and the change in the ratio between divalent and trivalent cations may apparently be responsible for the predominance of the rhombododecahedral appearance for the calcium series of garnets, and the tetragontrioctahedral one for the aluminum series.

Main forms:

The mineral forms well-faceted crystals of rhombic dodecahedrons and tetragon trioctahedra.

Magical properties of grossular

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Grossular has a calming, relaxing effect on humans and at the same time it has a tonic effect. In general, the effect of the stone is comparable to a whole range of spa treatments. People who choose amulets and talismans from grossular always feel cheerful and internally full of vitality, while outwardly they will remain balanced and calm, and will always maintain a good-natured mood.

Grossular also develops a penchant for daydreaming, helps to plan the future in a positive way, and with its help all hitherto hidden creative abilities of a person are easily revealed.

The good thing about this gem is that it does not conflict with other stones and combines with them without problems. Being so accommodating and supportive, he conveys the same qualities to his owner. Thanks to this property, the owner of the gem can easily find mutual understanding with a variety of people.

Magic of stone

Grossular garnet is charged with kind and calm energy, which is transmitted to its owner. At the same time, it brings a person not only peace and tranquility, but also good spirits, the desire to achieve new heights.

The magical properties of grossular protect against damage, the evil eye, and slander. It is impossible to use the mineral to harm a person due to its light energy, so dark magic bypasses it.

A talisman with a gem evokes a good attitude among people around its wearer, helps to establish friendships and business connections, and brings him good luck and success.

The stone protects the peace of mind of its owner and for this purpose begins to help his loved ones so that the wearer does not experience mental discomfort and worries about family and friends.

The talisman made from this gem has only one drawback. In the fight for the peace of his owner, he does not allow him to take responsibility for solving other people's problems, since as a result of this there is a possibility of a violation of the state of mind; a person can only sympathize with someone who finds himself in an unpleasant situation.

The mineral helps scientific workers in learning new knowledge, enhances intuition and promotes the development of logical thinking; these properties are also useful for schoolchildren and students.

In family relationships, eseonite helps people achieve harmony, peace and mutual respect. For the best effect, the stone should be worn by both spouses.

The healing properties of grossular

In lithotherapy, grossular is interesting because its effect on the human body directly depends on the type of decoration it is used in.
For example, necklaces and beads made from the mineral help in the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system. Simply squeezing a processed stone tightly in your hand can relieve toothache. Grossular, set in silver, has a positive effect on the nervous system, relieves fears and anxieties and eliminates sleep disorders.

Where is it used?

The only area of ​​application for semi-precious stone is jewelry. Craftsmen make all kinds of decorations, including frames, using silver and gold.

They can be purchased at a price of several thousand rubles (for example, a bracelet - for 9-10, a pendant - for 1.5-3.5 thousand rubles.).

Grossular decorations

it is a welcome exhibition of mineralogical collections.

Grossular and zodiac sign

Grossulars are ideal for Aquarius.
They bring special luck to those representatives of this sign who were born in January. Gems also have a positive effect on Scorpios, helping them get rid of melancholy and melancholic moods. Grossulars are not recommended only for Cancers and Taurus; other zodiac representatives can wear jewelry with a stone without fear of negative consequences.

Who is it suitable for?

Astrologers claim that grossular is a universal mineral that interacts well with all signs of the zodiac constellation. The most successful partners for him are:

• Scorpion;
• A lion;
• Scales.

The mineral has a beneficial effect on people born under these signs. For Aquarius and Capricorn born in January, the mineral can bring good luck and material well-being. It is also recommended to wear grossular to owners of the names Arkady, Artem, Ruslan, Lyubava, Anisiya, Arina. It encourages open communication, so it should be worn by those whose professional activities involve people, such as doctors, teachers or salespeople.

It helps to reveal talents, so people in creative professions should carry it with them.

The mineral will become a real assistant for those who want to constantly be in harmony with themselves and the world around them. Grossular is a fairly expensive stone. A 3-carat copy will cost approximately 5-6 thousand rubles. However, it is not difficult to buy. The advantage is that there is no special care for the mineral. In addition, jewelry inlaid with this semi-precious stone looks very beautiful and expensive.

Prices for grossular products

Grossulars are traditionally set in gold settings and used to create beautiful necklaces, rings and other jewelry. They make excellent sets of bracelets, earrings, buckles and rings. Such products are classified as expensive and are valued at several hundred dollars per copy.

How to care for stone

Despite its natural hardness, grossular is a fragile stone. It should be protected from the following negative effects:

• blows and falls;
• direct sunlight;
• sudden temperature change;
• proximity to harder minerals;
• contact with household chemicals and acids on the surface.

To wash the stone, use a flannel cloth, soap solution and running water at room temperature. Dry it naturally away from sunlight or using a cloth.

Interesting facts about grossular:

• Talismans with grossulars attract the sympathy of people around them to their owners, help cope with conflict situations, give peace in family life and mutual understanding between spouses.
• The name of the stone “grossular” is translated from Latin as “gooseberry”. In addition, the stone and its subspecies in mineralogy are found under the names of hessonites, cinnamon stones, hyacinths, jacinths, leucogranates, rosolites, succinites, colophonites, viluites, garnet jade, South African jade, Pakistani emerald.

Description and external signs

Grossular is a member of the garnet group. It is also popularly known as pomegranate jade, leucogranate. International name – English. Grossular. It got its name from the Latin grossularia - “gooseberry”, which is explained by its unusual color, ranging from yellow to green. There are also pink samples. Thus, the mineral repeats the shades of gooseberries at different stages of ripeness.

The color of classic grossular is green, but the mystery of the mineral is its ability to acquire almost any shade, thanks to the variety of natural inclusions.

Application of uvarovit

The green garnet is particularly famous among collectors due to its beauty and rarity. Specialists make precious jewelry, as well as inserts into other types of products.

The crystal has the shape of a rhombic dodecahedron, and therefore there is simply no need for cutting.

Any brush (an accretion of material with different directions) has distinctive features. Its characteristic feature can also be called the fact that in a duet with any fossils it stands out against the general background; the most common “neighbor” in jewelry is gold.

Despite the fact that from time to time brushes can be cut into emeralds, due to their low weight they are not used to make precious items; they are only sometimes added to emeralds and diamonds after being pre-treated accordingly. Used together with other varieties of garnet, beryl and malachite.

Green garnet - varieties of stone

Olivite stones differ in name due to the unique coloring inherent in each.

Uvarovite

Uvarovite has a bright green color. First found in the 19th century. As mentioned above, it received its name in honor of Count Uvarov. They are most common as small formations that are difficult to process, and experts believe that the stone does not need to be processed due to its natural beauty.

This variety of precious gem became the hero of the famous story by A.I. Kuprin "Garnet Bracelet". A frequently encountered alternative name is Ural emerald.

Demantoid

It is valued higher than other types of green garnets and is mined primarily in the Ural mines of the Russian Federation, in Africa and Italy. It is characterized by a bright shine, due to which it is constantly compared to a diamond, the reason for this is the chromium found in the structure of the stone. Unlike its famous “brother”, it is much easier to process due to its reduced hardness, only 6 points. It is distinguished by its ability to refract light; under certain lighting, golden shimmers can be seen inside.

Grossular

Like other varieties of pomegranate, it is small in size, not exceeding 1 cm; only a few examples of this species are larger. They are not available for sale; grossulars can only be found at auction for a considerable sum. There are a large number of colors, transparent.

Tsavorite (Tsavorite)

Like previous representatives, there is a green tint with a varied range of light and dark shades, which depends on the amount of chromium in the content. In the case of a dark color, vanadium additionally appears in the structure. The deposit is located in Africa. Weight varies between 5 carats.