{"title":"Rhodochrosite","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRhodochrosite\u003c\/strong\u003e is a manganese carbonate, MnCO₃, belonging to the \u003cstrong\u003ecalcite group\u003c\/strong\u003e, prized for its rose-pink to deep blood-red color caused by manganese content, with iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc substitutions producing variations toward the siderite and calcite series. It typically forms rhombohedral or scalenohedral crystals with perfect cleavage, but also occurs in botryoidal, stalactitic, granular, and massive habits, frequently found alongside quartz, fluorite, sphalerite, galena, tetrahedrite, and manganese oxides in hydrothermal veins, as well as in metasomatic and sedimentary manganese deposits.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe species' most iconic locality is Colorado's \u003cstrong\u003eSweet Home Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e near Alma, Park County, originally worked for silver before yielding, from the 1960s onward and especially during its 1991–2004 specimen-mining era, the world's finest gemmy red rhombohedrons, including the legendary \u003cstrong\u003eAlma King\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eAlma Rose\u003c\/strong\u003e crystals now housed at the Denver Museum of Nature \u0026amp; Science and the Rice Northwest Museum. Other notable Colorado sources include the \u003cstrong\u003eClimax Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e, the \u003cstrong\u003eSunnyside Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in the Silverton district, the \u003cstrong\u003eMoose Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Gilpin County, and the Mountain Monarch Mine near Ouray. In South Africa's Kalahari Manganese Field, the \u003cstrong\u003eN'Chwaning Mines\u003c\/strong\u003e and Hotazel deposits near Kuruman have produced exceptional transparent-to-translucent scalenohedral crystals of deep red rhodochrosite, some facet-grade, associated with manganite and drusy quartz. Argentina's \u003cstrong\u003eCapillitas Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Catamarca Province, mined since Incan times, is world-famous for banded stalactitic \"Inca Rose\" or \"Rosa del Inca\" material — the source of Argentina's national stone — showing bands from cream and yellowish-brown through the zinc-rich variety \u003cstrong\u003ecapillitite\u003c\/strong\u003e to deep crimson, later cut into cabochons, spheres, and carvings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther classic and collector-relevant localities include the \u003cstrong\u003eWolf Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e at Herdorf in Germany's Siegerland, source of botryoidal and long terminated crystals; Kapnik (Cavnic) in Romania's Baia Mare district; the \u003cstrong\u003eWutong Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Guangxi, China, known for large rhombohedral crystals; the Inakuraishi and Yakumo mines in Hokkaido, Japan; the Moanda Mine in Gabon; and Peruvian deposits at Huallapon and Uchucchacua. In the United States, Butte and Philipsburg in Montana, and Santa Eulalia in Mexico, round out the classic silver-vein occurrences where rhodochrosite was historically treated as manganese-carbonate gangue before being recognized as a collector gem. Because it ranges from vivid gemmy crystals to soft banded ornamental material, sometimes within the same deposit, rhodochrosite appeals to crystal collectors and lapidaries alike, ranking among the most desirable carbonate species and Colorado's official state mineral.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"rhodochrosite-twinned-crystals-uchucchacua-peru","title":"RHODOCHROSITE – Twinned Pink Crystals on Dark Matrix, Uchucchacua Mine, Peru","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking specimen of well-formed, twinned pink Rhodochrosite crystals resting on a dark, contrasting matrix, from the world-famous Uchucchacua Mine in Peru. The rich rose-pink crystals stand out beautifully against the dark host rock, creating a pleasing chromatic contrast that is highly appreciated by collectors, further enhanced by the unusual twinned crystal habit that this locality is known for.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 49 x 17 x 19 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 17 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Uchucchacua Mine, Oyón District, Oyón Province, Lima, Peru\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45460192329837,"sku":null,"price":79.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/IMG20260423220852.jpg?v=1784131248"},{"product_id":"rhodochrosite-scalenohedral-geode-moanda-gabon","title":"RHODOCHROSITE – Deep Red Scalenohedral Crystal Geode, Moanda Mine, Gabon","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking geode entirely lined on the inside with numerous dark cherry-red scalenohedral crystals of rhodochrosite, recovered from the historic Moanda manganese mine in south-eastern Gabon — one of the rarest and least common sources of well-formed rhodochrosite crystals on the international market. The crystal faces are sharp and fully developed, showing the classic pointed scalenohedron habit of this carbonate species, while the saturated, almost blood-red tone gives the whole cavity remarkable depth and visual impact.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 54 x 43 x 23 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 79 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moanda Mine, Moanda, Haut-Ogooué Province, Gabon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45605321113709,"sku":null,"price":199.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/IMG20251004221802.jpg?v=1786490211"},{"product_id":"rhodochrosite-calcite-red-uv-glow-kassandra-greece","title":"RHODOCHROSITE \u0026 CALCITE – Rare Locality, Red UV Fluorescence, Kassandra, Greece","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking Rhodochrosite specimen from the historic Kassandra mining district in Greece, showing a rich cluster of soft pink Rhodochrosite crystals accompanied by lustrous rhombohedral Calcite. The interplay between the two carbonates enhances the definition of each crystal face, creating a balanced and visually elegant piece for both aesthetic and scientific collections. This specimen also reacts with a red glow under long-wave UV light, a feature that is uncommon for the species and adds further collector interest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 122 x 87 x 53 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 484 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kassandra mining district, Aristotelis, Chalkidiki, Greece\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45737704685677,"sku":null,"price":149.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/IMG20260715221638.jpg?v=1788068316"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/rhodochrosite.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}