{"title":"Andradite","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndradite\u003c\/strong\u003e is a calcium-iron member of the garnet group, with the formula Ca₃Fe₂(SiO₄)₃, prized among collectors for its exceptional dispersion — higher than diamond — and its remarkable range of colors and habits. It forms mainly in skarn and contact-metamorphic zones between limestone and igneous intrusions, as well as in serpentinites, where silica-rich fluids crystallize sharp trapezohedral and dodecahedral crystals. Three varietal names dominate the market: \u003cstrong\u003edemantoid\u003c\/strong\u003e, the vivid emerald-green gem variety historically called \"Uralian emerald\"; \u003cstrong\u003etopazolite\u003c\/strong\u003e, a honey-yellow to greenish-yellow type resembling topaz; and \u003cstrong\u003emelanite\u003c\/strong\u003e, the jet-black titanium-bearing form once favored for Victorian mourning jewelry. Rarer varieties include colophonite, a granular brownish type from Scandinavia, and the titanium-rich schorlomite end-member. Classic historic localities define the andradite market. The \u003cstrong\u003eUral Mountains\u003c\/strong\u003e of Russia produced the first demantoids in the 19th century, prized for their silky \"horsetail\" byssolite inclusions. In Italy, the \u003cstrong\u003eAla Valley\u003c\/strong\u003e in Piedmont and \u003cstrong\u003eVal Malenco\u003c\/strong\u003e in Sondrio Province remain benchmark sources of apple-green demantoid and yellow topazolite, while \u003cstrong\u003eMonte Somma\u003c\/strong\u003e on Vesuvius and localities in Trentino yield fine melanite crystals. Modern gem-quality demantoid now comes chiefly from \u003cstrong\u003eAntetezambato\u003c\/strong\u003e in Madagascar and from \u003cstrong\u003eIran\u003c\/strong\u003e, notably the Soghan and Belqeys Mountain deposits, alongside historic Namibian and Kenyan finds. In North America, \u003cstrong\u003eSan Benito County\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eGarnet Hill\u003c\/strong\u003e in Calaveras County, California, along with \u003cstrong\u003eStanley Butte\u003c\/strong\u003e in Arizona, are noted for topazolite and cat's-eye andradite, while \u003cstrong\u003eFranklin\u003c\/strong\u003e and Ogdensburg in New Jersey, Magnet Cove in Arkansas, and the Cornwall Iron Mines in Pennsylvania produce good melanite crystals. Canadian collectors know the emerald-green demantoid of the \u003cstrong\u003eJeffrey Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Asbestos, Québec, plus material from \u003cstrong\u003eMont Saint-Hilaire\u003c\/strong\u003e and the Thetford Mines district. Other important occurrences include the \u003cstrong\u003eWessels\u003c\/strong\u003e and N'Chwaning mines in South Africa's Kalahari manganese field for rare pink-red andradite, jet-black melanite from \u003cstrong\u003eImilchil\u003c\/strong\u003e, Morocco, and lustrous crystals from the Ojos Españoles Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico. Collectors seek andradite for its striking crystal luster, unusual color range, and diagnostic inclusions — from the horsetail fibers of Russian and Iranian demantoid to the mirror-bright faces of Mexican melanite and the iridescent \"rainbow garnet\" plates reported from Japan. Because andradite crystallizes so readily into well-formed, gemmy individuals and dramatic clusters, fine specimens bridge the gap between mineral collecting and gemology, remaining a benchmark species for anyone building a serious garnet-group or skarn-mineral collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"fa16-andradite-epidoto-azerbaijan-0","title":"ANDRADITE \u0026 EPIDOTE – Contrasting Rare Crystals, Dashkesan, Azerbaijan","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking association of dark andradite garnet crystals sharply contrasted against vivid green epidote, collected from the rare Dashkesan Co-Fe skarn deposit in Azerbaijan. The specimen shows well-developed crystal faces that let the dodecahedral habit of the garnet stand out clearly against the surrounding matrix, making it a genuinely uncommon piece for any systematic or aesthetic collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50 x 48 x 33 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 89 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dashkesan Co-Fe deposit, Dashkasan, Dashkasan District, Azerbaijan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45456703520877,"sku":null,"price":69.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/IMG20260423234328.jpg?v=1784019312"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/andradite.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}