Pyrope
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Description
A transparent, ruby-red garnet composed of magnesium aluminum silicate where the magnesium is partially replaced with calcium and iron. The color of pyrope ranges from a deep red to almost black. Gemstone quality pyropes are mined in the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Australia.
Synonyms and Related Terms
garnet; Cape ruby; Bohemian garnet; rhodolite (violet); piropo (Esp., Port.); Pyrop (Deut.); pyroop (Ned.)
Other Properties
Fracture = conchoidal. Luster = vitreous to resinous. Streak = colorless to white. Birefringence = isotropic. Pleochroism = none. UV fluorescence = inert.
| Composition | 3MgO-Al2O3-3SiO2 |
|---|---|
| Mohs Hardness | 7.0 - 7.5 |
| Density | 3.78 |
| Refractive Index | 1.714-1.742 |
Additional Information
Mineralogy Database: Pyrope
Comparisons
Properties of Common Gemstones
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 354
- Jack Odgen, Jewellery of the Ancient World, Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York City, 1982
- Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "pyrope." Encyclopædia Britannica. 14 Sept. 2001 .
- C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrope (Accessed Sept. 14, 2005)
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998