FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Roger Warin]

Hello,
The recent Mineral Show in Liege was a success. On this occasion, some minerals from the famous André Rostenne collection were presented by the Natural History Museum of Luxembourg.
Here is a rhodochrosite from Pala (CA).
Can you tell me the nature of the paragenesis?
Thank you.

[Michael Shaw]

Hello Roger,

To the best of my knowledge, rhodochrosite has not been found in the Pala District. This specimen associated with small fluorite crystals and a sulfide sure looks like a Sweet Home Mine rhodochrosite from Alma, Colorado. I have a very similar one in my collection. I believe some sort of mix-up has occurred.

[Roger Warin]

Thank you for your clarification.

[James Catmur]

I agree

[Matt_Zukowski]

Although it certainly could be from the Sweet Home, what about the Sunnyside mine, also in Colorado? The picture makes the specimen look a little more pink than the average Sweet Home rhodo, and to me more like the Sunnyside, but i wouldn't bet much on it either way.

[Bob Carnein]

From my experience, fluorite from the Sunnyside mine often occurs as big (as opposed to tiny on this piece) pale green crystals, and the rhodochrosite from there typically (though not always) has a more bubble-gum pink color. It looks like Sweet Home to me.