Today’s Stone of the Day is a small polished white stone, about the size of a one-dollar coin, a hydrogrossular garnet from Gemstone Beach near Orepuki (Southland). It is probably the most sought-after type of stone at Gemstone Beach, coming in a variety of hues including white, cream, green, brown and gray. It is especially shiny, standing out on the beach more than any other type of stone, and has a waxy feel to it.
Some people call these grossular garnets, others refer to them as hydrogrossular, so there is some confusion over their precise identification. Jocelyn Thornton, in her excellent booklet “Gemstones” calls the Orepuki stones “grossular” (see photo below left). As the “Encyclopedia of New Zealand” states: “Calcium-rich garnet is called grossular… A variety, containing some water, is called hydrogrossular and was first identified at the Roding River near Nelson. It is also found on the beach near Orepuki in Southland” https://teara.govt.nz/en/gemstones/page-3. The entry on “Rodingite” in “A Photographic Guide to Rocks & Minerals of NZ” (see photo below right) says: “The main minerals in rodingite are calcium-bearing hydrogrossular garnet, plagioclase and actinolite. Rodingites are recrystallised gabbro, basalt, sandstone or mudstone that has been saturated with hot fluids that deposit calcium… Rodingites formed from igneous rocks can be seen near Mossburn, Southland and as pebbles on the beach at Orepuki, also in Southland.”
Today, 70 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in New Zealand, all in Auckland, bringing the total number of cases in the community outbreak to 347. Nineteen people are in hospital due to Covid-19, with one person in Intensive Care. It has been decided that, from the end of Tuesday 31 August, that part of the country south of Auckland will move to Level 3, a slight easing of restrictions, with indications that Auckland and Northland will remain in Lockdown for maybe a further two weeks.
Stone of the Day #11 is here.
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