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Spessartine
Chemical Formula	Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Species	Silicates
Crystal System	Isometric
Mohs Scale	6-7
Specific Gravity	4.12-4.32
Color	Yellow through red
Streak	White
Luster	Vitreous
Refractive Index	1.800
Diaphaneity	Transparent, Translucent
Cleavage	None
Fracture	Sub-Conchoidal
Crystal Habit：Massive to crystalline

The name is a derivative of Spessart in Bavaria, Germany, the type locality of the mineral. It occurs most often in granite pegmatite and allied rock types and in certain low grade metamorphic phyllites. Sources include Australia, Myanmar, India, Afghanistan, Israel, Madagascar, Tanzania and the United States. Spessartine of an orange-yellow has been called Mandarin garnet and is found in Madagascar. Violet-red spessartines are found in rhyolites in Colorado and Maine. In Madagascar, Spessartines are exploited either in their bedrock or in alluvium. The orange garnets result from sodium rich pegmatites. Spessartines are found in bedrock in the highlands in the Sahatany valley. Those in alluvium are generally found in southern Madagascar or in the Maevatanana region.

Spessartine forms a solid solution series with the garnet species almandine. Well formed crystals from this series, varying in color from very dark-red to bright yellow-orange were found in Latinka, Rhodope Mountains, Kardzhali Province, Bulgaria.