Zahasky, Christopher2009-06-022009-06-022009-04-08https://hdl.handle.net/11299/50612Additional contributor: Donna L. Whitney (faculty mentor).Garnets are commonly found in metamorphic rocks. Garnets (X3Y2Si3O12) can have a variety of chemical compositions even within a single crystal. The composition of garnets can change during growth, this is known as zoning. Garnets crystallize in a number of different shapes including rhombic dodecahedron and trapezoidal. Rhombic dodecahedron is the more common shape for pyrope (Mg), almandine (Fe), and spessartine (Mn) garnets while trapezoidal is more commonly the shape of grossular (Ca) garnets. The substitutions of Ca, Mg, Fe, and Mn in the X site and its effects on certain characteristics of the garnets, specifically the shape, is the focus this research.en-USInstitute of TechnologyDepartment of Geology and GeophysicsPresentation