Almandine (stabalized)

specimen number:
8701007

location:
Haddam Neck, Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut, USA

description:
A sharp lustrous crystal of almandine 1.7 cm across on matrix. The crystal has been stabilized across the backside. Aesthetic in very good for this Connecticut classic. The specimen comes with a previous label from Northwestern University.

Haddam Neck, located in the town of Haddam in Middlesex County, Connecticut, is home to several classic New England pegmatite quarries, most notably the Gillette Quarry. Geologically, these deposits are part of the Middletown District, where granitic pegmatites intruded into the Paleozoic metamorphic rocks of the Collins Hill Formation during the Acadian Orogeny. The locality is famous for producing exceptional almandine garnets, which typically occur as sharp, well-formed dodecahedral or trapezohedral crystals, often reaching several inches in size and embedded within a matrix of quartz, muscovite, or albite. Historically, mining and quarrying at Haddam Neck began in the early 19th century, with the Gillette Quarry operating primarily for feldspar used in the ceramics industry from the 1890s until the mid-20th century. During the peak years of production, the site was a major source of gem-quality tourmaline and industrial beryl, as well as high-quality mineral specimens for major museums. While commercial operations effectively ceased by the 1950s, the site remains a legendary locality for field collectors and mineralogists studying the crystallization of volatile-rich granitic systems.

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