Garnet is not a single mineral, but a diverse group of silicate minerals that share a common crystal structure while varying in chemical composition. For over 5,000 years, its material has been prized not only for its beauty in jewelry but also for its extreme industrial hardness.
Unlike many other crystals that grow in long prisms, the material of garnet typically forms in "equant" shapes—meaning they are roughly equal in all directions, like a soccer ball.