Grossular with Clinochlore

specimen number:
2262028

location:
Ala Valley, Lanzo Valleys, Piedmont, Italy

description:
Classic Italian specimen with beautiful red crystals of grossular measuring to 0.4 cm in size across the front of matrix with green platy clinochlore. Nice color and in good condition.

The Ala Valley (Val d'Ala), located in the Piedmont region of the Italian Alps, is one of the most famous historical localities for the hessonite variety of grossular garnet. Geologically, these garnets are found within rodingite dikes that crosscut serpentinite masses of the Piemont-Liguria oceanic unit. During the Alpine orogeny, hydrothermal metamorphism triggered the calcium-enrichment of these dikes, leading to the growth of spectacular orange to cinnamon-colored grossular crystals in association with green diopside and chlorite. Historically, the area has been a site for mineralogical study and specimen collection since the late 1700s, with the most iconic site being the Testa Ciarva. Unlike industrial mines, the Ala Valley has never been a site for large-scale commercial metal extraction; instead, it has been worked intermittently by local prospectors and "strahlers" for over two centuries specifically for the recovery of museum-quality specimens. The peak of discovery for many of the classic, large hessonite clusters found in European museums occurred during the 19th and early 20th centuries, though the valley remains an active and legendary destination for field collectors today.

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