Imports from Australia continued to be used in the U.S. filtration and blasting media markets, but did not appear to affect domestic production negatively. The market appears to be large enough to absorb additional imports without harming U.S. producers. The garnet reclaim plant in Harvey, LA, was used intermittently as a distribution warehouse. Currently, evaluation and feasibility studies are underway on major garnet deposits in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico.
Garnets occur worldwide in a variety of rocks, particularly gneisses and schists.
Alluvial garnet also is a coproduct with many heavy mineral sand and gravel deposits in the world. One of the world's largest known garnet deposits in Rangley County, ME, is not currently being mined. Significant resources of garnet also occur in Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Oregon. World resources of garnet are large. E Net exporter.