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Grenat hessonite

  • Translations : Cinnamit, Essonit, Hessonit, Cinnamita, Essonita, Hessonita
  • Synonym : Cinnamite, Essonite, Hyacinthoid, Cinnamon Garnet
  • Etymology : From the Greek "Hesson" = "less than", because of its hardness lower than most other garnets.

Hessonite is a variety of Grossular garnet.

Its color is usually brown, yellow - brown, orange red, orange, orange yellow. The orange hue is due to magnesium Mn2+.

In India, men worship a god with nails in orange yellow stones. This stone, "gomedhaka" in Sanskrit, is the Hessonite.

To learn more about the mineralogy of Hessonite, see Mindat.org->

 

Gemological data

  • Chemical formula : Ca3 Al2(SiO4)3 Fe3
  • Hardness (Mohs) : 7 - 7.5
  • Density : 3.55 - 3.73
  • Refractive index : 1.742 - 1.748
  • Crystal system : Cubique
  • Group : Grenat

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