Uvarovite Garnet (Type Locality)

Item Description

Two generations of scintillating, gemmy, emerald-green uvarovite garnet crystals really sparkle on the hefty chromite matrix on this very rich and excellent large plate from the Type Locality in Russia - the Saranovskii Mine in the Urals. The larger, darker crystals really look like emeralds, are up to 1 mm and have textbook dodecahedral form. Uvarovite is the uncommon calcium chromium garnet group endmember. One glassy calcite rhomb is noted in the upper right-hand corner and is a nice accent. The back has been sawed to enhance the display quality and a bit of bruising is noted. Specimens of this quality haven't been available since the early 1990s, except for a few old lots resurfacing. THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER LARGE PLATES REMAINING IN OUR INVENTORY OF THIS MATERIAL, ALL PURCHASED FROM AN OLD COLLECTION.