Garnet

gemstones · minerals · ancient · abrasive

Rainbow of colors. While most people think garnets are deep red, they actually come in almost every color, including green, orange, yellow, and even blue. The red ones are the most famous, though.

Ancient gem choice. Warriors and rulers have worn garnets since the Bronze Age, more than 5,000 years ago. Ancient people believed the shiny red stones had magical powers.

Silicon and oxygen power. Garnets are silicate minerals, meaning they're made of silicon and oxygen mixed with other elements like iron, aluminum, and calcium. This special recipe makes them incredibly hard and tough.

Super-powered sandpaper. Garnets are so hard and scratchy that people use them like sandpaper to grind, polish, and cut other materials. Garnet sandpaper and garnet saw blades help workers shape everything from wood to metal.

Inside the Earth. Garnets form deep underground where extreme heat and pressure squeeze rocks together. Miners sometimes find them in metamorphic rocks that have been superheated and squeezed for millions of years.