Andradite Garnet

This very fine miniature Andradite Garnet at first appears to be a single crystal but is actually composed from at least three individual interpenetrant crystals.  This specimen is from the Korshunovskoye iron deposit in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, an iron skarn also containing boron mineralisation.  The crystals have developed so compactly as to appear as almost one single prism.  The only damage is a minor chip on one corner and as there is no other visible point of attachment, this could possibly be it.  If not, then the specimen is a floater.  The Andradite forms intensely dark green to black dodecahedrons, to a maximum diameter of 3.5 cm.  Every face is built from individual smaller prisms which give a slightly concave surface to every face.  A beautiful miniature.