Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56247090" class="extiw" title="d:Q56247090"><span title="mineral collector and dealer">Robert M. Lavinsky</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
cubiccommonCarbonates
Rhodochrosite
MnCO3
This specimen features vibrant rose-red to pink rhodochrosite crystals, possibly in botryoidal or stalactitic formations, contrasting with clear to milky quartz crystals.
Rhodochrosite Physical Properties
Mohs Hardness
3.5Crystal System
cubicLuster
vitreousStreak Color
WhiteCleavage
Perfect rhombohedral on {1011}Fracture
Uneven to conchoidalSpecific Gravity
3.45Colors
pink, rose-red, red, brownish-red, yellowish-gray, whiteTransparency
Transparent to translucentType Locality
Oppu mine, Nishimeya-mura, Naka-Tsugaru-gun, Aomori Prefecture, Tohoku region, JapanMineral Group
CarbonatesUses
jewelry, ornamental stone, collector, manganese oreAssociated Minerals
quartzRarity
commonGeological Context
Rhodochrosite typically forms in hydrothermal veins associated with manganese deposits, often in low-temperature environments. It can also be found in metamorphic and sedimentary manganese-rich rocks.
