---
title: "Almandine: meaning in gemology"
description: "Almandine is a garnet species made of iron, aluminum and silicon. It is typically brownish to purplish red."
url: https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/almandine
image: https://digitalgemology.com/img/og-digital-gemology.png?v=d224fb01
---

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[Glossary](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary) · Colored gemstones

# Almandine

Also called almandite, almandine garnet

Almandine is a garnet species made of iron, aluminum and silicon. It is typically brownish to purplish red.

## Properties

**Gemological properties of almandine**

| Refractive index | 1.75 to 1.83 (usually above 1.78) |
| --- | --- |
| Birefringence | None (singly refractive) |
| Optic character | Singly refractive |
| Dispersion | 0.027 |
| Specific gravity | 3.95 to 4.30 |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 7 to 7.5 |
| Crystal system | Cubic |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Absorption spectrum | Strong band about 20 nm wide, 576 nm (Fe); strong band, 526 nm (Fe); strong band, 505 nm (Fe); line may appear, 617 nm (Fe); line may appear, 426 nm (Fe) |

Published values. They change a little from stone to stone. Our tools do not model almandine yet. Sources: [International Gem Society](https://www.gemsociety.org/article/almandine-garnet/) · [Gemdat](https://www.gemdat.org/gem-452.html)

## In more detail

Almandine and pyrope range in color from purple to orangy red. These red garnets typically have no eye-visible inclusions. Almandine is one of the harder garnets, and garnets have fair to good toughness.

## Related terms

- [Garnet](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/garnet): Garnet is a group of closely related mineral species. They share the same crystal structure but differ in chemical composition.
- [Pyrope](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/pyrope): Pyrope is a garnet species made of magnesium, aluminum and silicon. It is usually pink to orange-red or brown.
- [Spessartine](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/spessartine): Spessartine is an orange garnet species made of manganese, aluminum and silicon. Its hues are warm: yellow, orange, red or brown.
- [Hardness (Mohs)](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/hardness): Hardness is a gem's resistance to scratching. Gemologists rank it on the Mohs scale, on which diamond is 10.

[All 369 terms](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary)