UVAROVIT — an unusual green garnet from the Urals
Characteristics of the stone This mineral is a type of garnet of bright green color. It is formed in rocks rich in manganese and iron. As a rule, stones are small in size, up to 3 mm in diameter, connected in aggregates. Large formations are very rare. Uvarovit is transparent and attracts the eye with a beautiful glossy sheen. One of the unique features of this crystal is that it does not melt and does not respond to acids, unlike other "representatives" of the garnet group. The hardness of uvarovite is in the middle of the generally accepted Mohs scale – from 6.5 to 7.5 points. History and origin A new type of garnet was discovered in 1832 in the Saranovskoye field, in the Urals, Russia. The chemist Hermann Hess compiled a detailed description of the stone and named it after count Sergei Uvarov. Empress Catherine herself, the godmother of Uvarov, who later headed the Academy of Sciences, paid special attention to this stone. She thought uvarovite is one of the best ones. Th...