Spessartine

Spessartine, sometimes mistakenly referred to as spessartite, is a nesosilicate, manganese aluminium garnet species. The mineral spessartine should not confused with a type of igneous rock (a lamprophyre) called spessartite.

Spessartine’s name is a derivative of Spessart in Bavaria, Germany, the type locality of the mineral. It occurs most often in granite pegmatite and allied rock types and in certain low-grade metamorphic phyllites.

Spessartine, like the other garnets, always occurs as a blend with other species. Gems with high spessartine content tend toward a light orange hue, while almandine prevalence induces red or brownish hues.