Judging quality
Banded Argentinian slices should show tight concentric rings with good contrast. Colorado crystals are judged on color, transparency and crystal perfection and are among the most expensive minerals in the world.
Carbonate
Rhodochrosite
Manganese carbonate in rose pink, occurring both as banded stalactitic material from Argentina and as vivid transparent rhombs from Colorado's Sweet Home Mine.
Care
Soft and acid-sensitive; will etch on contact with anything acidic. Wipe dry only.
History & lore
The Inca associated the banded pink material with their ancestors, and it is still known as Rosa del Inca.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Rhodochrosite
- What is Rhodochrosite?
- Manganese carbonate in rose pink, occurring both as banded stalactitic material from Argentina and as vivid transparent rhombs from Colorado's Sweet Home Mine.
- How hard is Rhodochrosite and what is it made of?
- Rhodochrosite is a Carbonate-family mineral with the composition MnCO3. It crystallizes in the trigonal system and rates 3.5-4 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in rose pink, red, banded.
- Where does Rhodochrosite come from?
- Notable localities for Rhodochrosite include Argentina, USA (Colorado, Sweet Home Mine), Peru, South Africa.
- How do you tell good Rhodochrosite from filler?
- Banded Argentinian slices should show tight concentric rings with good contrast. Colorado crystals are judged on color, transparency and crystal perfection and are among the most expensive minerals in the world.
- How do you care for Rhodochrosite?
- Soft and acid-sensitive; will etch on contact with anything acidic. Wipe dry only.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.