

The name of garnet origins from the latin word ’granum’ (corn), some people think it is named after the seeds of pomegranate (Punica granatum). Plinius used for it (almandine) the word carbuncle, long time ago more other reddish minerals were called carbuncle stones. The garnet means a group of silicate minerals with similar structures, but their chemical composition is only partly identical. The most common varieties: almandine, andradite, pyrope, spessartine, demantoid, grossular, hessonite, melanite, uvarovite. These rock-forming minerals beside of their massive appearance, commonly turn up as the 12/24 sided crystals and can be volcanic, metamorph, and as they are so resistant they are common in sedimentary rocks and sediments of rivers. Garnet crystals can be found in Börzsöny (Hungary), in more places in the Alps, in India, Brazil, Madagascar etc.