Uvarovite
Uvarovite is an emerald green garnet named after Sergei Semenovitch Uvarov a Russian statesman and mineral collector. It was named by Germain Henri Hess, the Swiss born Russian chemist, who discovered the variety of garnet in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1832.
Uvarovite occurs as very small crystals that form on a host rock or matrix, commonly serpentine. Small crystals in this form are called a druse. The crystals are too small to work, however, the druse is fashioned by cutting and mounting the host rock into suitable settings such as pendants and rings.
Source locations for Uvarovite include: Canada (Quebec), Finland, Norway, Spain, Russia and South Africa.
Properties of the Gemstone and Additional Information
| Gemstone type: | A variety of the garnet group. |
| Crystal System: | Cubic (isometric) formed on a host rock. |
| Chemical Composition: | Ca3Cr2(SiO4)3 |
| Colour: | The colouring agent is chromium, producing an attractive emerald green colour. |
| Lustre: | Vitreous |
| Pleochroism: | Absent |
| Dispersion: | Medium |
| Hardness: | 7 1/2 on the Mohs' scale |
| Toughness: | Good |
| Cleavage: | None |
| Density in gm/cc: | 3.77 |
| Double refraction: | None |
| Refractive index: | - |
Common Treatments
Uvarovite is not normally treated.