Almandine with Schorl

specimen number:
1052618

location:
Lakeview Mts., Riverside Co., California, USA

description:

A fine old time California specimen was sharp lustrous crystals of almandine measuring to 1.8 cm in size across the top of a feldspar matrix with lustrous black prismatic schorl crystals. Some damage present as seen, the prominent crystals are in good condition. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. This label gives an original acquisition date of 1907.

The Lakeview district, situated in the Lakeview Mountains of Riverside County, California, is noted for its complex pegmatitic and metamorphic geology within the Peninsular Ranges Batholith. Geologically, the area consists of Cretaceous-aged granitic rocks and metasedimentary enclaves where regional metamorphism and hydrothermal activity facilitated the growth of large garnet crystals. The locality is particularly recognized for its almandine, an iron-aluminum silicate garnet, which occurs as dark red to brownish-red dodecahedral crystals often embedded in schist or within coarse-grained pegmatite dikes. Historically, mining and quarrying in the Lakeview area were primarily small-scale operations focused on industrial minerals and decorative stone rather than precious metals, with peak activity occurring intermittently from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. While some commercial extraction of quartz and feldspar took place, the region became more famous among mineralogists and collectors for the size and abundance of its garnets. Today, many of the historic digging sites are located on private property or have been affected by regional development, yet the Lakeview Mountains remain a significant reference point for studying the mineralogy of Southern California through 2026.

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