Demantoid Garnets From Madagascar
In the early 2000's, there was a find of Andradite Garnets, var. Demantoids in a remote Mangrove swamp in a tidal region of Ambanja, Madagascar. These have been referred to as the worlds finest examples of Demantoids, and the location has produced many simply breathtaking examples of the species. The mining area, being located in a tidal region, floods every day, creating quite the difficult situation for underground mining! Miners must dig holes vertically to the mineralized area of the rock, and then they branch out in whatever direction their intuition dictates. Each day, as the tide comes in, the miners must escape the holes as they are flooded by the tide, and as the tide retreats, the water must be removed from the holes.
The following link is to a video on Youtube showing the mining area and the working conditions. This video is in French, but still very interesting to watch!
Click here for link to video
The following link is to a video on Youtube showing the mining area and the working conditions. This video is in French, but still very interesting to watch!
Click here for link to video
A small, well formed, Andradite var. Demantoid Garnet. Is actually a little cluster of 2 garnets together. This one weighs 1.14 grams and has no matrix. It measures roughly 9 x 6 x 4 mm. Specimen DEM-25*
$35
$35
A small floater cluster of Andradite Garnets, var. Demantoids. This small cluster weighs 1.57 grams and measures 13 x 12 x 8 mm. Specimen DEM-26*
$45
$45
Another small floater cluster of well formed, lustrous, Demantoid Garnets (Andradite). This cluster weighs 1.35 grams and measures approx. 15 x 9 x 5 mm.
Specimen DEM-11*
$50
Specimen DEM-11*
$50
A nice floater cluster of emerald-green Andradite var. Demantoid Garnets. This small cluster weighs 1.1 grams and measures about 12 x 8 x 8 mm. Specimen DEM-5*
$35
$35
A nice larger, single Andradite var. Demantoid Garnet. This specimen has multiple tiny garnets grown on the top faces of the larger single. This little guy weighs 1.14 grams and is measures roughly 12 x 10 x 4mm. Specimen DEM-27*
$45
$45
A nice small, floater cluster of Andradite var. Demantoid Garnets. This small, yet aesthetic cluster weighs in at .53 grams and measures approx. 10 x 7 x 3mm. Specimen DEM-22*
$20
$20
Quartz on Tourmaline
Sahatany Valley Pegmatites
Madagascar
22 x 28 x 25 mm
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Here's a cute little specimen brought back from the 2014 Mindat conference in Madagascar. This features a well formed quartz crystal perched upon a piece of bi color tourmaline, with several tiny quartz crystals hiding in between the two. It's a nice little miniature specimen with good aesthetics. Unfortunately, the tourmaline is not terminated, but a cute piece none the less!
$80
$80
