Hessonite
Variety Ca3Al2(SiO4)3
Also called Cinnamon stone and Essonite
About it
Orange to cinnamon-brown grossular garnet with a swirly, syrupy look inside. Sri Lanka is the classic source; fine crystals also came from the Jeffrey mine in Quebec.
- Type
- Variety
- Group
- Grossular variety (garnet)
- Formula
- Ca3Al2(SiO4)3
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 7–7.5
- Specific gravity
- 3.57–3.73
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), resinous
- Crystal system
- Isometric (cubic)
- Colours
- orange, cinnamon brown, honey yellow
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- none; conchoidal to uneven fracture
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.