Magnesium aluminium silicate
| Pyrope | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| General | |
| Category | Nesosilicate |
|
Formula (repeating unit) |
Mg3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Strunz classification | 9.AD.25 |
| Crystal system | Cubic |
| Crystal class | Hexoctahedral (m3m) H-M symbol: (4/m 3 2/m) |
| Space group | Ia3d |
| Identification | |
| Color | Red. Some varieties are very dark, almost black, while others can take tones of purple. Some chromium-rich pyropes are thermochromic, becoming green when heated |
| Crystal habit | Euhedra typically display rhombic dodecahedral form, but trapezohedra are not uncommon, and hexoctahedra are seen in some rare samples. Massive and granular forms also occur. |
| Cleavage | None |
| Fracture | Conchoidal |
| Mohs scale hardness | 7 - 7.5 |
| Luster | greasy to vitreous |
| Streak | White |
| Specific gravity | 3.78 (+.09 -.16) |
| Polish luster | vitreous |
| Optical properties | Single refractive, often anomalous double refractive |
| Refractive index | 1.74 normal, but ranges from 1.714 to over 1.742 |
| Birefringence | Isotropic, appears black in cross-polarized light |
| Pleochroism | none |
| Ultraviolet fluorescence | inert |
| Absorption spectra | broad band at 564nm with cutoff at 440 to 445nm. Fine gem quality pyropes may show chromium lines in the red end of the spectrum |
| Solubility | Insoluble in water, weakly soluble in HF |
| Mineral association | Olivine, pyroxene, hornblende, biotite, diamond |
| References | |
The mineral pyrope is a member of the garnet group. Pyrope is the only member of the garnet family to always display red colouration in natural samples, and it is from this characteristic that it gets its name: from the Greek for fire and eye. Despite being less common than most garnets, it is a widely used gemstone with numerous alternative names, some of which are misnomers. Chrome pyrope, and Bohemian garnet are two alternative names, the usage of the latter being discouraged by the Gemological Institute of America. Misnomers include Colorado ruby, Arizona ruby, California ruby, Rocky Mountain ruby, Elie Ruby, Bohemian carbuncle, and Cape ruby.
The composition of pure pyrope is Mg3Al2(SiO4)3, although typically other elements are present in at least minor proportions—these other elements include Ca, Cr, Fe and Mn. Pyrope forms a solid solution series with almandine and spessartine, which are collectively known as the pyralspite garnets (pyrope, almandine, spessartine). Iron and manganese substitute for the magnesium in the pyrope structure. The resultant, mixed composition garnets are defined according to their pyrope-almandine ratio. The semi-precious stone rhodolite is a garnet of ~70% pyrope composition.
The origin of most pyrope is in ultramafic rocks, typically peridotite from the Earth's mantle: these mantle-derived peridotites can be attributed both to igneous and metamorphic processes. Pyrope also occurs in ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks, as in the Dora-Maira massif in the western Alps. In that massif, nearly pure pyrope occurs in crystals to almost 12 cm in diameter; some of that pyrope has inclusions of coesite, and some has inclusions of enstatite and sapphirine.
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