Event Title
Garnet: History, Properties, Occurrences, and Uses
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
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