The facts
What mint Garnet actually is
Mint Garnet is classified as grossular (garnet group), with the composition Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃. It crystallises in the cubic system.
Colour comes from low vanadium content giving a pale yellowish-green; some material owes its tint to Fe, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.734–1.745. Specific gravity around 3.57–3.67. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where mint Garnet comes from
Mint Garnet is produced at Merelani, Tanzania and Madagascar.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How mint Garnet is treated
Untreated. Strong daylight fluorescence in some Merelani material. Priced well below tsavorite for the same species, so pale tsavorite is sometimes sold under this name.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What mint Garnet is confused with
In the trade mint Garnet is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Tsavorite, Peridot, Green beryl or Chrysoberyl.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.734–1.745 and specific gravity 3.57–3.67 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What mint Garnet is used for
Demand for mint Garnet comes from jewellery and mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Mint Garnet is 7–7.5 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What mint Garnet costs
As a guide, mint Garnet trades around $40–400/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is mint Garnet treated, and how?
Untreated. Strong daylight fluorescence in some Merelani material. Priced well below tsavorite for the same species, so pale tsavorite is sometimes sold under this name.
Where does mint Garnet come from?
Merelani, Tanzania and Madagascar. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is mint Garnet hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 7–7.5 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does mint Garnet cost?
Indicatively $40–400/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is mint Garnet confused with?
Most often Tsavorite, Peridot, Green beryl and Chrysoberyl. A refractive index of 1.734–1.745 and a specific gravity near 3.57–3.67 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for mint garnet?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about mint garnet