Group of
silicate minerals with the formula
X3Y3(SiO
4)
3, where
X is calcium, magnesium, iron, or manganese, and
Y is usually aluminium or sometimes iron or chromium. Garnets are used as semi-precious gems (usually pink to deep red) and as abrasives. They occur in metamorphic rocks such as gneiss and schist.
Garnets consisting of neodymium, yttrium, and aluminium (referred to as Nd-YAG) produce infrared laser light when sufficiently excited. Nd-YAG lasers are inexpensive and used widely in industry and scientific research.
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