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Goldmanite (rare garnet species)
- Rybnucek, Pezinok Co., Bratislava Region, Slovakia
- Toenail, 3.3 x 3.1 x 2.1 cm
- Start Time: 05/10/2012 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
- End Time: 05/17/2012 6:49:55 pm (CDT)
- Auction Closed
Item Description
Goldmanite is a fairly rare member of the Garnet group and get its strong green color from Vanadium, like Tsavorite. This piece features a 2 mm (a little larger than typical for the material), sharp, lustrous, deep green color modified dodecahedron of Goldmanite sitting on ore body matrix. The species was named for Marcus Isaac Goldman (1881-1965) and American sedimentary petrologist. Even though the most famous/abundant Goldmanites in the world are from Rybnucek, the type locality is actually an unnamed prospect pit in the Laguna District, Cibola County, New Mexico! If you're a rare mineral collector, of if you like Garnets, be sure to pick this one up. I photographed the crystal under the microscope to better illustrate its quality.