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Almandine (Photo) [abbr. Alm ]

Year of discovery: 1546 (Alabanda, Turkey), 1885 (Japan)

Locality list: 352 localities of almandine

• Fe₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂
• (Fe,Mg,Mn,Ca)₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂
• [Fe²⁺₃][Al³⁺₂][(SiO₄)₃]^12-

• Class: Pyralspite subgroup < Garnet group < Garnet supergroup
• Class: Nesosilicate
• Insoluble in: HCl
• Magnetism: Paramagnetic
• Substitution pseudomorph: Replaced by Muscovite.
• Usage: Abrasive

• Fe => Ca: Grossular
• Fe => Mg: Pyrope (Series)
• Fe => Mn: Spessartien (Series)

• Color: Red-Brown
• Streak: White
• Luster: Vitreous
• Diaphaneity: Transparent-Translucent

• Habit: Tetracosahedron (High-T), Dodecahedron (Low-T)

• Cleavage: No, Parting on {110} (4 planes)
• Hardness: 7-7.5
• Density: 4.3

• System: Cubic
• Group: m3m, Ia3d
• Lattice: a=11.5

Etymology: Alabanda peninsula, Southern Europe