BANDED RHODOCHROSITE

BANDED RHODOCHROSITE

Top quality rough Banded Rhodochrosite stone, perfect as-is for the collection, though mainly of course used to make stunning jewellery.  Ever popular rhodochrosite is both Argentina’s National Stone and Colorado’s State Stone.
Rhodochrosite (whose name means rose-colored) is a very attractive mineral with an absolutely one-of-a-kind, beautiful color.  Although it can be an ore of manganese, it is its ornamental and display specimen qualities that make it a very popular mineral. The color of a single crystal can just astound the observer with its vivid pink-rose color that seems to be transmitted out of the crystal as if lit from within.

Chemistry:  MnCO3, Manganese Carbonate
Class:  Carbonates
Group:  Calcite Group

Dimensions:  3.5cm x 5cm x 5cm, 173g.

Location:  Argentina.

Rhodochrosite:  MnCO3.

Named in 1813 by Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann from the Greek “rose”, and “colouring”, referring to its colour.
Calcite Group.  Calcite Rhodochrosite Series and Rhodochrosite Siderite Series.  Commonly occurs as a primary gangue mineral in moderate to low temperature hydrothermal veins.  Also in high temperature metasomatic deposits and sedimentary manganese deposits or as a late stage hydrothermal mineral in pegmatites, especially lithiophilite bearing ones.