Mali Garnet, sometimes called “grandite” is a mixture of the grossular and andradite species. It is one of the rarest varieties within the garnet group. It was discovered in 1994 in the Republic of Mali, in East Africa, and this country is still the only known source of this beautiful gem. Mali Garnets are remarkable for their brilliance and dispersion and when properly cut can resemble fancy color diamonds. Colors range from very pale yellow-green, to intense yellow, to greenish yellow, to yellowish brown, to brown. Mali garnet comes also in a very rare, intense green color, resembling the tsavorite or demantoid garnet. The majority of Mali garnets available on the market are in small sizes, below 1 carat, and these gems can still be found at very affordable prices. Since the large pieces of rough are very rare, price per carat of finished stones increases dramatically with size, and can reach several hundreds of dollars per carat for top quality gems. As with all garnets, no special care is necessary in setting or wearing them, and they are suitable for all jewelry uses.
