ANT HILL GARNETS

Tiny Miners Find Big Treasures

- PAM FREEMAN

You know that old saying about one man's trash? Ever heard of ant hill garnets? These small, reddish-brown crystals fall under this adage but with one change to say, "One ant's trash..." Found in the mounds of harvester ants, these garnets are fascinating gemstones that have been collected and admired for hundreds of years.

WHAT ARE ANT HILL GARNETS?

Ant hill garnets, also called Arizona rubies, are typically chromium pyrope garnets. One of six main types of garnet, these are the deep red color that most people think of when picturing a garnet. The word pyrope comes from the Greek pyr and ops which mean "fire eye."

FYI - Almandine garnets can also be found around ant hills. The difference between pyrope and almandine is in the dominant mineral they contain. Almandine is iron (Fe) dominant and pyrope is magnesium (Mg) dominant.

Ant hill garnets are typically small, ranging in size from a grain of sand to a pea. They are often rough and irregularly shaped. Ant hill garnets rank between 6.5 and 7.5 on the Mohs scale, making them strong enough to be worn every day. These brilliant gems are small but mighty!