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Rosolite  (Pink variety of Grossular Garnet)
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Rosolite is named for its pinkish rose-red color.

Discovered in 1893.  IMA status: Not Valid (pink variety of Grossular Garnet)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃

Calcium Aluminum Silicate

Molecular Weight:

450.45 gm

Composition:

Calcium

26.69 % 

Ca

37.35 %

CaO

Aluminum

11.98 % 

Al

22.64 %

Al₂O₃

Silicon

 18.71 %

Si

40.02 %

SiO₂

Oxygen

 42.62 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Silicates (Germanates)

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/A.08-70

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.AD.25

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
D : Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in [6] and/or greater coordination

Related to:

Garnet Group. Grossular-Hibschite Series. Grossular-Katoite Series. Grossular-Uvarovite Series. Pyrope-Grossular Series.

Varieties:

n/a

Synonyms:

Landerite, Rose Garnet, Xalostocite

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hexoctahedral

Crystal Habit:

Commonly in dodecahedra or trapezohedra, up to 15 cm, with striated faces. Also granular, compact, and massive.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Parting on {110} rarely observed

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

6.5 - 7.0

Density:

3.512 - 3.516 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Pinkish Red

Transparency:

Translucent to Transparent

Luster:

Vitreous, Resinous

Refractive Index:

1.741 Isotropic

Birefringence:

0.000 (Isotropic); weak strain birefringence

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In contact and regionally metamorphosed calcareous rocks, or rocks which have undergone calcium metasomatism; in some schists and serpentinites.

Common Associations:

Calcite, Dolomite, Epidote, Clinozoisite, Wollastonite, Scapolite, Vesuvianite, Diopside, Tremolite, Quartz.

Common Impurities:

Fe

Type Locality:

Lake Jaco, Sierra de la Cruz, Mun. de Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico

Year Discovered:

1893

View mineral photos:

Rosolite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org  (Rosolite)
Mindat.org  (Grossular)
Webmineral.com  (Grossular)

Rosolite is a fairly rare pinkish red variety of Grossular Garnet which is a member of the Garnet Group of minerals that includes Almandine, Andradite, Grossular, Pyrope, Spessartine and Uvarovite. Rosolite is found only at Lake Jaco, Sierra de la Cruz, Mun. de Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico. It has been determined to be 95.68% Grossularite, 2.82% Pyrope and 1.5% Andradite.

Pink garnets are not uncommon from Lake Jaco, but when they get this red, with translucency, they are really rare.
 

  
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