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GEOLOGY ARTICLE

First steps in polishing Alabama almondine garnets
by WC McDANIEL

The garnets found on the DMC trip to Ashland, Alabama come covered with mica, dirt and other “stuff”.

(1) As a first step thoroughly wash with a brisk water hosing, repeating really helps.
(2) Fill your tumbler 3/4 full of garnets, cover to top with water. Do not put grit in your mixture.
(3) Tumble for a couple hours. Open and drain. It should be very red.
(4) Fill with clean water. Keep repeating.
(5) After 1-2 days the majority of the covering should be gone and you can start a regular tumbling load (not sure of the final results).

If you do not stop and clean after a few hours and if you put grit in right away you will end up with a very messy mixture of paste-like muck and very little cleaning action.

This article was written by MAGS member, WC McDaniel ©2002