The Garnet, normally considered a gemstone, was officially designated the state mineral of Connecticut in 1977. The Garnet “group” of gemstones is well known from many localities around the state. Both ornamental and functional, Garnet is readily identified by its small granular crystals, most often seen in a deep reddish brown color. Some of the finest almandine Garnet in the world is found in Connecticut. Garnet varies in color from pale to dark tints, including the deep violet-red of the almandine Garnet. Garnet is a hard mineral also used as an abrasive in grinding wheels, saws, and sandpaper, thus this mineral played an important role in the history of Connecticut industry.
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Garnets are a common constituent of the igneous rock pegmatite, and of coarse granite and granite gneiss. Garnets are also frequently found in mica schist, a common metamorphic rock. One can also find tiny garnets in beach sand and in sandstone deposits. Garnets are called a “group” because similar minerals of different chemical composition have the same atomic structure. The variety 'Almandine' is an iron aluminum Garnet. Other varieties found in the state include Pyrope, magnesium aluminum; Grossular, calcium aluminum; Spessartine, manganese aluminum, and Andradite, calcium iron. Transparent Garnets of good color can be cut as gemstones, but other than the 'Almandine' which is some of the best in the world, it is rare to find garnets of that quality in Connecticut, thus why the Garnet was named more as the States mineral rather than a gemstone. Most commonly, rough garnet is used as an abrasive, as in sandpaper and emory boards, a major industry in Connecuticut.
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Some of the best Garnets are found around Roxbury, Redding and Colchester. Greens Farm Garnet Mine is an old, classic location. Large almandine Garnet crystals to 1" across can be found in both hard rock or loose in the soil. The old mine dumps are also scattered around the woods and provide loose crystals without much work. Much of the matrix is very soft, but the best garnets are found in the harder schist. The mine is located in a rural area of northwest Connecticut, near West Redding.
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