Event Title

Garnet: History, Properties, Occurrences, and Uses

Presenter Information

Olivia Amber, Colby CollegeFollow

Location

Parker-Reed, SSWAC

Start Date

30-4-2015 2:00 PM

End Date

30-4-2015 3:55 PM

Project Type

Poster

Description

The goal of this project was to identify and research an unknown mineral throughout the semester. I identified my mineral as Garnet. Garnet is a very common mineral found on Earth; however, it lacks significant industrial uses. While its use in everyday life does not extend far, its most popular historical and present day use is in jewelry, deeply rooting itself in ancient folklore. The red color is the most popular form of garnet as a gemstone due to its vibrant luster and bright color. This red color is also thought to have contributed to its name, coming from the Latin word Garanatus meaning seedlike in association to pomegranate seeds. It is a major component of the mantle, effecting crustal metamorphism and many plate tectonic processes due to its highly variable chemical composition. It is easily identifiable because of its perfectly hexagonal shape. Studying this mineral's significance in Earth processes highlights this minerals varying significance in the formation of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. Its high hardness makes garnet a practical choice for sandpapers, water-jet cutting, and abrasive blasting.

Faculty Sponsor

Herb Wilson

Sponsoring Department

Colby College. Geology Dept.

CLAS Field of Study

Natural Sciences

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

1111

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Apr 30th, 2:00 PM Apr 30th, 3:55 PM

Garnet: History, Properties, Occurrences, and Uses

Parker-Reed, SSWAC

The goal of this project was to identify and research an unknown mineral throughout the semester. I identified my mineral as Garnet. Garnet is a very common mineral found on Earth; however, it lacks significant industrial uses. While its use in everyday life does not extend far, its most popular historical and present day use is in jewelry, deeply rooting itself in ancient folklore. The red color is the most popular form of garnet as a gemstone due to its vibrant luster and bright color. This red color is also thought to have contributed to its name, coming from the Latin word Garanatus meaning seedlike in association to pomegranate seeds. It is a major component of the mantle, effecting crustal metamorphism and many plate tectonic processes due to its highly variable chemical composition. It is easily identifiable because of its perfectly hexagonal shape. Studying this mineral's significance in Earth processes highlights this minerals varying significance in the formation of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. Its high hardness makes garnet a practical choice for sandpapers, water-jet cutting, and abrasive blasting.

https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2015/program/155