I am looking for Garnet on Matrix to swop for other minerals

Hi
I am looking for a specimen of a garnet crystal in its matrix.
I have many different kinds of minerals to trade and am willing to negotiate.
If interested please contact me.
thanks
Darren
darrenm@efekto.co.za

Darren;
What species & what variety? Is there a favored color? Is there a favored locality or country? Many specimens of the garnet group are usually on matrix; we need more info to help you best.
Your friend, Steve

Hi Darren, I have many different varieties and species of garnets in my collection which is my main mineral expertise. So please expound what it is you are looking for? Spencer.

Dear Darren;
to give you an idea why we are having trouble, please do the following in the mineral search engine box, below: 1) type in "garnet" in that box & hit search; remember: non-species will be in this kind of type & mineral species will be in BOLD type. you won't see any on the page that pops up. 2) one of the entries will be "garnet group" - click that & wait about 1 1/2 minutes (if on dial-up, as I am) for the page to fully load. you'll see, list below the mobile xl model, 15 minerals; THOSE are members of the garnet group.
If you don't see what you are looking for, such as hessonite (essonite), rhodolite, or demantoid, that's bcs they are VARIETIES of some of the minerals listed, not a SPECIES (just like AGATE is a variety of QUARTZ). we need a species or even a variety to know how to help you.
Hope this helps.
Your friend, Steve

Dear Steve and Spencer
Thank ypou so much for your replies. I am not looking for any specific type of garnet. It is the Crystal structure that fascinates me, however I must say I am partial to the red/dark garnets in matrix. I live in South Africa and have African specimens to trade if you are interested. So let do it like this. If you could send a suggestion of Garnets to look for? As a young rockhound I amnew to garnets and have recneltY Aquired a huge indian garnet and some Zimbawean garnets. I also found a large garnet in a Mica Mine in Phalaborwa SOuth Afirca. I am now hooked. I love garnets, SO if anyone out there has a specimen to swop I would be so grateful. I am a young rockhound with a great collection of African Amethyst, agates,crystals etc. Also I am a laipdary.
Thanks for oyur help. hope to hearfrom you soon
Darren

Hi Darren, You could easily wind up with a huge collection just of garnets. The general formula for garnet is:

X3Y2(SiO4)3--3 X's, 2 Y's and 4 silicate groups

X can be Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca) and so on,

Y can be Aluminum (Al), Chromium (Cr), Vanadium (V), Titanium (Ti), etc.

Then there are the various offshoots (e.g. hydroxides like hydrogrossular)

Take a look here for reference:

[en.wikipedia.org]

There are even synthetic materials that are garnets.

In addition to all the different species, I've been amazed at the different habits of the crystals, sizes, etc. I have some perfect dodecahedron crystals up to 12 cm across and some crystals that due to elongation of some faces you would swear were hexagonal rather than cubic!

There are also interesting phenomenal/optical properties in some species--color-change, asterism, etc. And with the discovery of blue garnets in Madagascar, garnet now comes in every imaginable color. Best of luck, Ray

Thanks Ray, Yes Garnets are fascinating!!! I have only recently discoverd that there are so many varieties. Garnets are of interest to the mineral collector as well as the faceter. I have worked on Garnet Cabochons and have a few faceted garnets myself. I just got some beautiful Orissa Garnets faceted from India. The Garnet I mentiond above I found in a Mica Mine in Phalaborwa. The Mica is mined for various purposes but the garnets are a problem for the mine owners, so the mica and garnets must be seperated with a huge magnet.
I dug out a wonderful large garnet with the most amazing crystal structure!!!
If anyone out there has been to the fee dig in Idaho and is willing to trade for some star Garnet rough, please let me know. I have contacted the Mineralogical society in Idaho and they are posting my advertisement for traders in their Newsletter.

Thanks for the great posts guys

Darren
South Africa

i own garnet mines and other mines
i will trade email me some pictures of what you have
eLucaTheFamily@aol.com">DeLucaTheFamily@aol.com
go to my web site there are some of my mierals on there
www.TheHitManMine.com

thanks
Eddie

have garnets in matrix, please write me, bill