Horsetails in Pakistani Demantoids

[Stephen Challener]

Did anyone else notice this in the latest GnG (Winter 2004)? They mentioned finding horsetails (chrysotile fibers) in demantoids from a new deposit in Pakistan. Interestingly these spessartites are very low in Cr, and show a green to yellow color.
Anyway, I thought that was interesting. It certainly seems to put another nail in the lid of diagnostic horsetails. That said, the picture they showed of the included chrysotile didn't look much like what I've seen pictured in Russian demantoid, but they did describe them as horsetails anyway.

[GSK]

Interestingly these spessartites are...

I presume you mean andradites, not spessartites??? I saw horsetail with in demantoids, real Cr-bearing andradites from Kamal, Iran and from Jeffrey Mine, Quebec, Canada. All horsetails in stones from both location I saw were not as "bush jungle" as in Russian, mostly had just a few fibrous grown from the same root, meaning that call it "horsetail" would be too optimistic, but no other difference I could find..

I never had a chance to see any Pakistany demantoids..

[Stephen Challener]

Yes, I meant andradite. Whoops. Trying to think about too many things at once.
I've seen Pakistani demantoid before, but all very low grade and no hint of horsetails I could see. Considering the price I got them for that made sense.