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Spessartine

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Putian City, Putian Prefecture, Fujian Province, China
© Dick Dionne

Show Spessartine Photos (1478)



Formula:
Mn
2+
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
System:IsometricColour:Red, reddish orange, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:6½ - 7½
Member of:Garnet Structural Group
Name:Named after its type locality in the Spessart Mts, Germany.


Garnet Group. Almandine-Spessartine Series.

Occurs in magmatic, metamorphic, and pegmatitic rocks.

An (OH,F)-rich, tetragonal-pseudocubic spessartine is described by Boiocchi et al. (2012).

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Spessartine. Currently in public beta-test.

Classification of Spessartine

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/A.08-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.AD.25

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
D : Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in [6] and/or greater coordination
Dana 8th edition ID:51.4.3a.3

51 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups Only
4 : Insular SiO4 Groups Only with cations in [6] and >[6] coordination
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.16.2

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
16 : Aluminosilicates of Mn
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Type Occurrence of Spessartine

Type Locality:Sommer quarry, Wendelberg, Haibach, Aschaffenburg, Spessart, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
Year of Discovery:1832

Physical Properties of Spessartine

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Red, reddish orange, yellowish brown, reddish brown, or brown
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):6½ - 7½
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.12 - 4.32 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.19 g/cm3

Crystallography of Spessartine

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Ia3d {I41/a 3 2/d}
Cell Parameters:a = 11.63Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,573.04 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Spessartine

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Spessartine

Formula:
Mn
2+
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Essential elements:Al, Mn, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Mn, O, Si
Common Impurities:Ti,Fe,Mg,Ca,H2O,Y

Relationship of Spessartine to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Almandine (see here)
Forms a series with Pyrope (see here)
Member of:Garnet Structural Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Almandine
Fe
2+
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Andradite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Berzeliite
NaCa
 
2
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
Bitikleite-(SnAl)
Ca
 
3
SbSn(AlO
 
4
)
 
3
Bitikleite-(SnFe)
Ca
 
3
SbSn(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
3
Bitikleite-(ZrFe)
Ca
 
3
SbZr(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
3
Blythite
Mn
2+
3
Mn
3+
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
Calderite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Goldmanite
Ca
 
3
V
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Grossular
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Henritermierite
Ca
 
3
(Mn
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
Irinarassite
Ca
 
3
Sn
 
2
Al
 
2
SiO
 
12
Katoite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3-x
(OH)
 
4x
Kerimasite
Ca
 
3
Zr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
2
Khoharite
Mg
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Kimzeyite
Ca
 
3
(Zr,Ti)
 
2
((Si,Al,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
Knorringite
Mg
 
3
Cr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Majorite
Mg
 
3
(Fe
2+
 
,Si,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Menzerite-(Y)
{(Y,REE)(Ca,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
}[(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)(Fe
3+
 
,Al)]
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
Momoiite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
V
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Morimotoite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Fe
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
Palenzonaite
(Ca,Na)
 
3
CaMn
2+
2
(VO
 
4
)
 
3
Pyrope
Mg
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Schäferite
Ca
 
2
NaMg
 
2
(VO
 
4
)
 
3
Schorlomite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
Skiagite
Fe
2+
3
Fe
3+
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
Toturite
Ca
 
3
Sn
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
2
Uvarovite
Ca
 
3
Cr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
Yafsoanite
Ca
 
3
Zn
 
3
(TeO
 
6
)
 
2
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.AD.05Larnite
Ca
 
2
SiO
 
4
9.AD.10Calcio-Olivine
Ca
 
2
SiO
 
4
9.AD.15Merwinite
Ca
 
3
Mg(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
9.AD.20Bredigite
Ca
 
7
Mg(SiO
 
4
)
 
4
9.AD.25Andradite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Almandine
Fe
2+
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Calderite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Goldmanite
Ca
 
3
V
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Grossular
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Henritermierite
Ca
 
3
(Mn
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.AD.25Hibschite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.25Hydroandradite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.25Katoite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.25Kimzeyite
Ca
 
3
(Zr,Ti)
 
2
((Si,Al,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Knorringite
Mg
 
3
Cr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Majorite
Mg
 
3
(Fe
2+
 
,Si,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Morimotoite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Fe
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Pyrope
Mg
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Schorlomite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Uvarovite
Ca
 
3
Cr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Wadalite
(Ca,Mg)
 
6
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
((Si,Al)O
 
4
)
 
3
O
 
4
Cl
 
3
9.AD.25Holtstamite
Ca
 
3
(Al,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.AD.25Kerimasite
Ca
 
3
Zr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
2
9.AD.25Toturite
Ca
 
3
Sn
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
2
9.AD.25Momoiite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
V
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.30Coffinite
(U
4+
 
,Th)(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.30Hafnon
HfSiO
 
4
9.AD.30Thorite
(Th,U)SiO
 
4
9.AD.30Thorogummite
(Th,U)(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.30Zircon
ZrSiO
 
4
9.AD.30Stetindite
Ce
4+
 
SiO
 
4
9.AD.35Huttonite
ThSiO
 
4
9.AD.35Tombarthite-(Y)
Y
 
4
(Si,H
 
4
)
 
4
O
 
12-x
(OH)
 
4+2x
9.AD.40Eulytine
Bi
 
4
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.45Reidite
ZrSiO
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.16.1Kanonaite
Mn
3+
 
Al(SiO
 
4
)O
16.16.3Davreuxite
MnAl
 
6
Si
 
4
O
 
17
(OH)
 
2
16.16.4Sursassite
Mn
2+
2
Al
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
3
16.16.5Carpholite
Mn
2+
 
Al
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
6
)(OH)
 
4
16.16.6Kellyite
Mn
2+
2
Al(AlSiO
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
16.16.7Pennantite
Mn
2+
5
Al(AlSi
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
8
16.16.8Akatoreite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
9
Al
 
2
(HSi
 
4
O
 
13
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
16.16.9Ganophyllite
(K,Na,Ca)
 
2
Mn
 
8
(Si,Al)
 
12
(O,OH)
 
32
 · 8H
 
2
O
16.16.10Mangano-arfvedsonite
[Na][Na
 
2
][Mn
2+
4
(Fe
3+
 
)]Si
 
8
O
 
22
(OH)
 
2
16.16.11Masutomilite
(K,Rb)(Li,Mn
3+
 
,Al)
 
3
(AlSi
 
3
O
 
10
)(F,OH)
 
2
16.16.13Howieite
Na(Fe,Mn)
 
10
(Fe,Al)
 
2
Si
 
12
O
 
31
(OH)
 
13
16.16.14Eggletonite
(Na,K,Ca)
 
2
(Mn,Fe)
 
8
(Si,Al)
 
12
O
 
29
(OH)
 
7
 · 11H
 
2
O
16.16.15Bannisterite
Ca
 
0.5
(K,Na)
 
0.5
(Mn,Fe,Zn)
 
10
(Si,Al)
 
16
O
 
38
(OH)
 
8
 · 5.5H
 
2
O
16.16.16Taneyamalite
(Na,Ca)(Mn,Mg,Fe)
 
12
Si
 
12
(O,OH)
 
44
16.16.17Zussmanite
K(Fe,Mg,Mn)
 
13
(Si,Al)
 
18
O
 
42
(OH)
 
14
16.16.18Coombsite
K(Mn,Fe,Mg)
 
13
(Si,Al)
 
18
O
 
42
(OH)
 
14
16.16.19Henritermierite
Ca
 
3
(Mn
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
16.16.20Macfallite
Ca
 
2
(Mn
3+
 
,Al)
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
3
16.16.21Ottrélite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)O(OH)
 
2
16.16.22Piemontite
{Ca
 
2
}{Al
 
2
Mn
3+
 
}(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(SiO
 
4
)O(OH)
16.16.23Okhotskite
Ca
 
2
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)(Mn
3+
 
,Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
16.16.24Pumpellyite-(Mn2+)
Ca
 
2
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)(Al,Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
16.16.25Piemontite-(Sr)
{CaSr}{Al
 
2
Mn
3+
 
}(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(SiO
 
4
)O(OH)

Other Names for Spessartine

Synonyms:
Erinite (of van der Lingen)Mandarin Garnet Mandarin GarnetPartschiniteSpessartine Garnet
Other Languages:
Dutch:Spessartien
German:Spessartin
Spessartit
Hungarian:Spessartin
Italian:Spessartina
Spessartite
Russian:Спессартин
Simplified Chinese:锰铝榴石
Spanish:Spessartita
Varieties:
BrandãositeCalcium-EisenspessartinEmildineSpandite

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Spessartine

Reference List:

- +
American Mineralogist (1971): 56: 791.

Rossman, G.R., Rauch, F., Livi, R., Tombrello, T.A., Shi, C.R., and Zhoi, Z.Y. (1988) Nuclear reaction analysis of hydrogen in almandine, pyrope and spessartine garnets. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie Monatshefte: 4: 172-178.

American Mineralogist (1990): 75: 314-318.

Boiocchi, M., Bellatreccia, F., Della Ventura, G., Oberti, R. (2012): On the symmetry and atomic ordering in (OH,F)-rich spessartine: towards a new hydrogarnet end-member. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 227, 385-395.

Internet Links for Spessartine

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
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