Garnet in Wollastonite Meaning, Metaphysical Energy & Geology

A polished sphere with orange brown garnets in a pale mineral matrix held in a hand. — Garnet not in Wollastonite · January 2025

Garnet NOT in Wollastonite, September 2024. — Garnet NOT in Wollastonite · Soul Body Gems, September 2024.

Namibian material commonly sold as “Garnet in Wollastonite,” with its actual mineral association clarified by testing.

Sample: 1097 (#7 grossular in wollastonite). Completed: October 17, 2024.

Key correction: The brown crystals are grossular garnet. No wollastonite was seen in the tested specimen.

What surrounds the garnet?

The matrix contains potassium feldspar, sodium-rich plagioclase likely to be albite, and quartz. Some areas contain allanite and hedenbergite, a pyroxene. The garnet rims are also grossular, with mainly fluorite inclusions.

The researcher interprets the specimen as a likely high-temperature metamorphic rock of calc-silicate or skarn affinity. The familiar market name is retained for search, while “Garnet not in Wollastonite” highlights the correction.

Locality: Namibia, according to Soul Body Gems sourcing notes for this material.

Also listed as: Garnet in Wollastonite · Garnet not in Wollastonite.

View the original test results

Select a page to enlarge it.

These results are the property of Soul Body Gems, Alexander Falster, and the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum. Any mention requires full acknowledgment.

Understanding the report figures

Use this guide alongside the written findings and the original report transcript. It explains the purpose of each analytical figure and preserves the laboratory’s own figure labels. The interpretations apply to the tested specimen; signals alone do not establish the identity of every similar-looking stone.

Electron microscope image: This view shows small-scale regions selected for analysis. Its brightness contrast helps distinguish regions with different compositions; it is not a photograph of their natural colors. Numbered spots connect this view to the analyses listed in the report.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig.2: Backscattered electron image of an area of the specimen.
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 3: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 2. left (grossular)
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 4: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 2. left (grossular)
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 5: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 3 in Fig. 2. left (fluorite)
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 6: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 4 in Fig. 2. left (potassium feldspar)
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 7: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 5 in Fig. 2. left (sodic plagioclase)
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 8: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 6 in Fig. 2. left (fluorite)
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 9: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 7 in Fig. 2. left (quartz)
Electron microscope image: This view shows small-scale regions selected for analysis. Its brightness contrast helps distinguish regions with different compositions; it is not a photograph of their natural colors. Numbered spots connect this view to the analyses listed in the report.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 10: Backscattered electron image of another area of the specimen.
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 11: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 10. left (allanite)
Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 12: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 10. left (hedenbergite)

Read the report as text

Analytical Result Report
Sample id: 1097 (#7, grossular in wollastonite)
Submitted by: Soul Body Gems
Date completed: 10-17-2024
Operating conditions: An AMRAY 1830 SEM operated at 25 kV acceleration potential, 24 mm working distance, 0 degrees sample tilt, coated with 250 Å carbon, and also using the attached XRF unit operated at 30 kV. 
Fig. 1:  Photograph of the specimen.  Approximately 45 mm maximum dimension.
 
Fig.2: Backscattered electron image of an area of the specimen. 
Fig. 3: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 2. left  (grossular)
Fig. 4: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 2. left  (grossular)
Fig. 5: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 3 in Fig. 2. left  (fluorite)
Fig. 6: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 4 in Fig. 2. left  (potassium feldspar)
Fig. 7: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 5 in Fig. 2. left  (sodic plagioclase)
Fig. 8: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 6 in Fig. 2. left  (fluorite)
Fig. 9: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 7 in Fig. 2. left  (quartz)
Fig. 10: Backscattered electron image of another area of the specimen.
Fig. 11: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 10. left  (allanite)
Fig. 12: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 10. left  (hedenbergite)
Summary of findings:  This specimen (Fig. 1) is interesting! The brown crystals are indeed grossular (Figs. 2 and 3).  The rim appears different with many inclusions but is also grossular (Figs. 2 and 4).  The inclusions in the rim of the grossular are mainly fluorite (Figs. 2 and 5).  The ground mass is composed of potassic feldspar (Figs. 2 and 6), sodic plagioclase, likely albite (Figs. 2 and 7) and quartz (Figs. 2 and 9).  Some grains in the ground mass turned out to be nests of allanite (Figs. 10 and 11)) and hedenbergite, a pyroxene (Figs. 10 and 12).  The material is likely afarily high-tempeprature metamorphic rock, something in the calc silicate or skarn kindred.  Alas, no wollastonie was seen.
Date:    10-17-2024                      Signature