Uvarovite
Uvarovite is a silicate mineral recognized for its hardness and durability, with known Chinese sources.
About Uvarovite
Uvarovite is a silicate mineral in the garnet group (ugrandite series) and has the chemical formula Ca3Cr2(SiO4)3. It crystallizes in the isometric system and ranks among the harder species, with lasting durability. Its combination of structural character and global distribution make it a recognized species in both systematic and aesthetic collections.
Identification & care
Uvarovite typically forms small dodecahedral and trapezohedron crystals; drusy crusts on chromite; rarely large enough to facet. The luster is vitreous, adamantine, the streak is white, and specimens range from transparent to translucent. The fracture is conchoidal, uneven, which is one of its key identifying features.
Collector context
How it forms
In terms of geology, Uvarovite forms in chromite deposits in serpentinite/ophiolite complexes; skarns adjacent to chromite lenses; metamorphosed ultrabasic rocks. It is commonly found in association with chromite, serpentine, diopside, calcite, chlorite.
Classic Chinese localities
Uvarovite has known Chinese occurrences in Hebei.
Why collectors care
Uvarovite is a frequently-sought species in serious collections because its habit is recognizable, its color often strong, and its best examples unmistakable even at a distance. Chinese material has driven much of the recent visual shift in the species — sharper crystals, deeper colors, cleaner matrix.
What affects value
Value in Uvarovite is assessed, in typical order of weight, against: (1) locality provenance; (2) size relative to the species norm; (3) crystal form and termination sharpness; (4) color saturation and zoning; (5) transparency and internal clarity; (6) matrix quality and aesthetic balance; (7) condition (absence of damage, chips, or repair). Cleaning quality and verified locality documentation act as multipliers across the above.
Naming history
The name Uvarovite has a specific etymological and historical context — see Mindat's reference entry for provenance details. We have retained naming data at the record level; published prose is paraphrased from factual fields rather than copied from source.