The world of gemstones surprises us every year with fine stones, unique properties and unexpected localities. Recently, gemmologists have discovered Anthill Garnets - little gems with big stories to tell! 

1. Garnet is not a single gemstone; it includes many stones classified into several groups depending upon their chemical composition and individual properties. Anthill Garnet is part of the pyrope variety, the most sought after type of garnets. This garnet variety has sometimes been identified as Arizona Ruby or Chrome Pyrope.

Monument valley, Navajo, Arizona, USA

2. As the name suggests, these red gems have been found near or within the anthills. The deposits can be found in Arizona desert lands of the Navajo Nation, USA. However, there were few finds in Asia throughout the history. The mining process relies only on the ant's hard work. These little bugs come across the stones deep underground as they excavate their burrows and carry them to the surface. Smart little fellows!

3. The stones glow the finest ruby-red colour, ranging from an intense purple to sunset orange hue. 

4. Ant hill garnets are very small, ranging from 0.80 - 1.50 carats. 

5.  Historians affirm, that back in the year 1800 these gems has been used as bullets. Popular lore suggests that warriors believed the blood-red colour of these garnets resulted in more severe wounds, or they probably found them to be the right size for a bullet. 

6. These little gems have similar gemological properties to Pyrope Garnets, as they belong to one type, taking 7.25 mark on the Mohs Scale of Hardness.

                                
Ant Hill garnet has needle-like crystals. The photo was taken by Robert James FGA,GG & Sid Tucker LLC. 

7. Ant Hill Garnets is the diamond indicator! How? In prospecting for diamonds, geologists use "indicator minerals" to determine if they are on or near a kimberlite pipe - the host rock of many diamond deposits. The host ore bears mantle-source minerals such as pyrope garnets.

 8. But we are not done with this amazing story just yet. There is also colour change Ant Hill Garnets!

The colour change is seen when viewing the stone under incandescent light compared to daylight, displaying pronounce orange-red to deep purple colours. 

The intriguing stories, bizarre origin, along with the perfect, brilliant red colour makes Ant Hill Garnet a collectors favourite and one we simply can't help but love here at the IGR London gem lab.

Main photo - The mighty Ant Brooch by Wallace Chan. The ant's head and abdomen are made of two baroque pearls while rubellites, yellow and pink sapphires and diamonds bring sparkle to this extraordinary insect. Clasped in his delicate titanium pincers is a pink tourmaline carved with a leaf design.

Zhanna @ IGR London