Gemstone mining is anything but an easy task. But for one small group of hardworking insects, finding and moving gem material is simply a by-product of the work done to create their homes.
Enter the anthill garnets found on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona. Anthill garnets get their name because of how they are found and collected, which is by hand after ants (specifically, southwestern harvester ants) have pushed the rough up and out of the earth as they are tunneling and building. The stones gather at the base of the anthills, making them easily to collect from the ground.
According to supplier Columbia Gem House, the stones there have been collected since before the 1850s. They were used in Native American cultural ceremonies in the 1900s and still have spiritual meaning to many today.
Gem Focus – April 2025
April 7, 2025
by Brecken Branstrator, GIA GG
(Image courtesy of Columbia Gem House)
Tap here for the complete feature story on Anthill Garnets in The GemGuide!
