View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4110
Location: Germany
|
Posted: Jan 08, 2017 11:45 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Volkmar Stingl wrote: | The most impressive rhodo I've ever seen by myself: the "Empress of China" at the Changsha Show in 2013. Largest crystal: 22 cm! | I have seen several pictures of this before, outstanding and surreal - and for sure some of the most prominent Rhodochrosite specimens that are not from the Sweet Home Mine.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Graham Harrison
Joined: 27 Dec 2016
Posts: 6
|
Posted: Jan 08, 2017 13:53 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
The hobby really only kicked for me when I managed to secure this specimen. It took a year of saving and a stern lecture from my father about buying a thing I was no doubt going to lose. As a 10 year old I was in awe of the specimen - today it resides in the drawer with the others but remains my absolute favorite. Thank you to all the hobbyists that have kept the interest, and a special thanks to the gentleman that kept it for me for a year so that I could save enough to eventually get it.
My Nchwaning 2 Rhodochrosite
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | N'Chwaning II Mine, N'Chwaning mining area, Kuruman, Kalahari manganese field (KMF), Northern Cape Province, South Africa | |
|
Dimensions: | 3cm x 3cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
19616 Time(s) |
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Jamison Brizendine
Joined: 27 Feb 2014
Posts: 128
Location: Northeast Ohio
|
Posted: Jan 09, 2017 09:14 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Graham that is a very sweet rhodochrosite!
I have been manually digitizing some old Rock & Gem Magazine articles for my local mineral club. Bob Jones in (2007) wrote a brief article about rhodochrosite. The first two paragraphs really surprised me:
“At any mineral show these days, one of the species you’ll see on almost every mineral dealer’s table is rhodochrosite. Yet, when you read the about rhodochrosite in the mineralogy literature, you find comments that disagree with the current abundance of this manganese carbonate mineral.”
“James Dwight Dana’s System of Mineralogy, V. 11, 6th Edition (John Wiley & Sons, 1920) says of the mineral, ‘Distinct crystals not common’ (p. 278)! Henry A. Miers’ text Mineralogy (Macmillan & Co., 1929) says it ‘is not often found well crystallized’ (p. 460). Obviously, something has happened in the last half century to change things considerably.”
“A century ago, rhodochrosite really was an uncommon mineral; it was found only in a few European deposits, mainly mines in the Harz Mountains, and then only as relatively insignificant crystals. That situation changed when America’s Western mineral deposits really began to produce.” (Jones, 2007, p. 20)
I had always assumed that rhodochrosite was a fairly common mineral, considering I see a fair number of specimens at shows, usually lapidary grade or damaged specimens.
References Cited:
Jones, B., 2007, Royal Rhodochrosite: This plentiful species is anything but common: Rock and Gem, v. 37 (7), p. 20-25.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4110
Location: Germany
|
Posted: Apr 12, 2017 08:42 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Tobi wrote: | What are your favourite localities for RHODOCHROSITE? My favourites are:
[...]
- Bockenrod, Reichelsheim, Odenwald, Hesse, Germany (not many of you may know that locality in southern Hesse, but I simply love the botryoidal material from there, just look at the attached photos) | I presented three of the best rhodo specimens from my German favourite locality Bockenrod in my opening comment on page 1. But there are several other localities for good rhodochrosites in central Germany (Wolf Mine was already mentioned and should be the most famous for collectors outside of Germany). Here are some of the best specimens that I could photograph during my last museum visits.
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Wolf Mine, Herdorf, Siegerland, Rhineland-Palatinate/Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany | |
|
Dimensions: | Specimen size ~ 15 cm |
Description: |
Collection Mineralogical Musum Marburg (my photo) |
|
Viewed: |
19217 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Heinricherz Mine, Eisenbach, Staffel, Limburg an der Lahn, Limburg-Weilburg, Gießen Region, Hesse/Hessen, Germany | |
|
Dimensions: | Specimen size ~ 12 cm |
Description: |
Collection Mineralogical Musum Marburg (my photo) |
|
Viewed: |
19266 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Hambach - Gückingen area, Diez, Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, Lahn Valley, Rhineland-Palatinate/Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany | |
|
Dimensions: | Specimen size ~ 15 cm |
Description: |
Collection Museum Wiesbaden, once on display at the Mineralogical Musum Marburg (my photo) |
|
Viewed: |
19242 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Rothenberg Mine, Oberneisen, Niederneisen, Rhineland-Palatinate/Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany | |
|
Dimensions: | Specimen size ~ 12 cm |
Description: |
Collection Michael Ochel, once on display at the Mineralogical Musum Marburg (my photo) |
|
Viewed: |
19420 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Reichenbach, Lautertal (Odenwald), Bergstraße District, Darmstadt, Hesse/Hessen, Germany | |
|
Dimensions: | Specimen size ~ 10 cm |
Description: |
Collection University of Göttingen, once on display at the Mineralogical Musum Marburg (my photo) |
|
Viewed: |
19251 Time(s) |
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4110
Location: Germany
|
Posted: Dec 02, 2018 13:25 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Ushkatyn/Kazakhstan may be not among the top rhodochrosite localities like Sweet Home Mine, N'Chwaning or Wolf Mine, nevertheless this specimen immediately became one of my personal favourites:
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Ushkatyn No. 1 deposit, Ushkatyn deposits, Zhayrem, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan | |
|
Dimensions: | Specimen height 11 cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
17148 Time(s) |
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
David
Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 101
Location: Bucharest
|
Posted: Apr 05, 2020 05:05 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
I'm surprised nobody mentioned about the type locality for rhodochrosite.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4110
Location: Germany
|
Posted: Apr 05, 2020 11:18 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
David wrote: | I'm surprised nobody mentioned about the type locality for rhodo. | Maybe because rhodochrosite from Cavnic is rather pale and not that well-crystallized, compared to other classic rhodos like Sweet Home Mine, Wolf Mine or N'Chwaning. But they're nice too!
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Michael Shaw
Site Admin
Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 2076
Location: Oklahoma
|
Posted: Apr 05, 2020 11:58 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
David,
You are right. Rhodochrosite from the type locality deserves a place in this thread. As Tobi said, perhaps not as vivid in coloration or as big crystals as some localities have produced, but I still love that nice pastel pink color.
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Cavnic mining area, Cavnic, Maramures, Romania | |
|
Dimensions: | 7.0 cm x 9.5 cm |
Description: |
Rich pink bladed rosettes with a pearly luster covering quartz matrix. Minor galena and sphalerite on the underside. |
|
Viewed: |
15524 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Cavnic mining area, Cavnic, Maramures, Romania | |
|
Dimensions: | 7.7 cm x 9.5 cm. |
Description: |
Pink rhodocrosite replacing platy calcite crystals with small metallic black tetrahedrite crystals on a matrix of massive white calcite and tetrahedrite. |
|
Viewed: |
15550 Time(s) |
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4110
Location: Germany
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 07:36 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Really nice, Michael, especially the first one.
I want to add another classic locality that wasn't mentioned before: Oppu mine, Nishimeya-mura, Nakatsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
I love the specimens that came out of that mine, sadly they're nearly impossible to get. Wonderful material, especially when associated with pyrite.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Gerhard Brandstetter
Joined: 01 Apr 2013
Posts: 96
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 08:23 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Interesting discussion and good specimen too. But i still miss some famous localities. So i add some photos from my collection to show the diversity of this beautiful mineral.
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Pasto Bueno, Pampas District, Pallasca Province, Ancash Department, Peru | |
|
Dimensions: | 34 mm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15447 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite with Sphalerite |
Locality: | Santa Rita Mine, Morococha District, Yauli Province, Junín Department, Peru | |
|
Dimensions: | 72 mm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15442 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Capillitas Mine, Andalgalá Department, Catamarca, Argentina | |
|
Dimensions: | 12 cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15449 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Stan Trg (Stari Trg) Mine, Trepča Complex, Trepča Valley, Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovska Mitrovica District, Kosovo | |
|
Dimensions: | 42 mm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15487 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Potosí Mine, Santo Domingo (Francisco Portillo), Santa Eulalia District, Municipio Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico | |
|
Dimensions: | 75 mm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15436 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Potosí Mine, Santo Domingo (Francisco Portillo), Santa Eulalia District, Municipio Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico | |
|
Dimensions: | 25 mm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15448 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Santa Eulalia District, Municipio Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico | |
|
Dimensions: | 21 mm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15451 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Sacarîmb (Nagyág), Deva, Hunedoara, Romania | |
|
Dimensions: | 6 cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15481 Time(s) |
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4110
Location: Germany
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 09:23 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Great contribution, Gerhard, thank you! Really nice specimens, and of course you are right, a lot of good localities are still missing here. Especially Pasto Bueno, a wonderful locality where some specimens nearly reached Sweet Home Mine aesthetics!
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
lluis
Joined: 17 Nov 2006
Posts: 711
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 10:19 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Many thanks for images!
By the way, from who is the label of the Nagyag Rhodo?
It looks as one of the Lord Ferguson, but my knowledge of calligraphy in those times is pretty bad....
With best wishes
Lluís
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Gerhard Brandstetter
Joined: 01 Apr 2013
Posts: 96
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 10:34 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Sorry Lluis, but i do not know the original collection. A pity - but my knowledge of old handwritings is nearly zero.
One thing is very important:
Nagyag is together with Kapnik the Co-Typelocality!
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Volkmar Stingl
Joined: 23 Sep 2012
Posts: 850
Location: Innsbruck
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 12:26 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
lluis wrote: | Many thanks for images!
By the way, from who is the label of the Nagyag Rhodo?
It looks as one of the Lord Ferguson, but my knowledge of calligraphy in those times is pretty bad....
With best wishes
Lluís |
Did Lord Ferguson use German language? The label uses German: "Rhodochrosit", "Manganblende". I think it must have been a German speaking collector.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Don Lum
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Posts: 2858
Location: Arkansas
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 13:46 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Rhodochrosite
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite, Quartz, Pyrite |
Locality: | Oppu Mine, Nishimeya-mura, Nakatsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture, Tohoku Region, Honshu Island, Japan | |
|
Dimensions: | 11 cm x 9 cm x 6.7 cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15339 Time(s) |
|
_________________ hogwild |
|
Back to top |
|
|
David
Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 101
Location: Bucharest
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 15:32 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Fabulous piece! I don't recall having seen anything like this.
Japanese minerals have something special, so amazing!
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
David
Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 101
Location: Bucharest
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 15:35 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Michael Shaw wrote: | David,
You are right. Rhodochrosite from the type locality deserves a place in this thread. As Tobi said, perhaps not as vivid in coloration or as big crystals as some localities have produced, but I still love that nice pastel pink color. |
Those are some amazing rhodos, great color!
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
am mizunaka
Joined: 09 Apr 2010
Posts: 2048
Location: USA
|
Posted: Apr 06, 2020 16:55 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Lesser known US locality for rhodochrosite.
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite |
Locality: | Foote Lithium Co. Mine (Foote Mine), Kings Mountain District, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA | |
|
Dimensions: | 2.0 x 2.8 cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15221 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite, Albite |
Locality: | Foote Lithium Co. Mine (Foote Mine), Kings Mountain District, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA | |
|
Dimensions: | 5.0 x 3.8 cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15223 Time(s) |
|
Mineral: | Rhodochrosite, Fluorapatite, Albite |
Locality: | Foote Lithium Co. Mine (Foote Mine), Kings Mountain District, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA | |
|
Dimensions: | 7.6 x 5.1 cm |
Description: |
|
Viewed: |
15239 Time(s) |
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4110
Location: Germany
|
Posted: Apr 07, 2020 01:16 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Thank you all for your contributions - wonderful specimens!
Mike, I like that uncommon crystal on your first Foote Lithium Mine specimen (RhodoAlbite.jpg), is that a kind of twin?
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
am mizunaka
Joined: 09 Apr 2010
Posts: 2048
Location: USA
|
Posted: Apr 07, 2020 12:08 Post subject: Re: Favourite Rhodochrosites? |
|
|
Tobi wrote: | Thank you all for your contributions - wonderful specimens!
Mike, I like that uncommon crystal on your first Foote Lithium Mine specimen (RhodoAlbite.jpg), is that a kind of twin? |
I don't believe that the rhodochrosite is twinned. I have read that it is a pseudo-octahedral habit found only at the Foote Mine. The rhodochrosite in the bottom photo exhibits a similar habit.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|