Antetezambato, Ambanja, Distrikan' i Ambanja, Faritra Diana, Faritanin' i Antsiranana, Madagasikara
Groups of lustrous green colored andradite garnets (varieties demantoid and topazolite) crystals with dominant dodecahedron combined with trapezohedron faces weres found here in 2008-09 and presented at the Ste.-Marie-Aux-Mines mineral show in 2009.
The garnets are dug out of weathered intertidal rocks (in a mangrove swamp) which are of contact-metamorphic origin. High-quality material is very rare.
Unusual are pseudomorphs of fine-grained garnet + quartz after shells, corals and even ammonites, associated with demantoid crystals.
Located 2,5 km W of the village of Antetezambato. The next-nearest city is Ambanja, around 20 km S of Antetezambato.
Note that a large majority of the demantoid crystals available on the market are glued on matrix.
References
- Pezzotta, F. (2009): Demantoide e Topazolite: nuovo ritrovamento in Madgascar. Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, n.3-2009, 198-200
- Praszkier, T. & Gajowniczek, J. (2010): Demantoide aus Antetezambato auf Madagaskar. Mineralien-Welt 21 (1), 32-41.
- Pezzotta, F. (2010): Demantoid und Topazolith aus Antetezambato, Nordmadagaskar. Lapis, 35 (10), 31-39; 90.
- Hintze, J. (2010): Eine Reise zu den Demantoiden von Antetezambato. Lapis, 35 (10), 40-43 (in German).
- Pezzotta, F. (2010): Andradite from Antetezambato, Madagascar. Mineralogical Record 41, 209-229.
Mineral List
5 entries listed. 2 valid minerals.
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