Uvarovite

Classic uvarovite from the Outokumpu mining district, North Karelia, Finland. The specimen shows well-defined, dark green uvarovite crystals embedded in matrix, displaying the characteristic dodecahedral crystal habit typical of garnet-group minerals. The crystals exhibit a rich emerald-green color and a bright vitreous luster, standing out sharply against the contrasting host rock.

Uvarovite is a chromium-rich calcium garnet, first described in 1832 and named in honour of Count Sergei Semenovitch Uvarov, a Russian statesman and mineral collector. It forms primarily in metamorphosed chromite-bearing rocks, skarns, and serpentinites, where chromium is abundant. Unlike many other garnets, uvarovite commonly occurs as small but sharply formed crystals rather than large massive aggregates.

The Outokumpu district is a classic and historically important locality for uvarovite, associated with its well-known copper–chromium ore deposits. Uvarovite from Outokumpu is regarded as classic European reference material for the species, valued for its intense green color and well-developed crystal forms. At this locality, uvarovite is typically associated with chromium-bearing minerals and calc-silicate assemblages formed during regional metamorphism.

The specimen originates from the former collection of C.