Hematite (''roses'') with Quartz and Todorokite pseudomorph (?)

Item Description

A strange association specimen from the Lechang Mine in China featuring the typical association we're used to seeing from this mine in the form of "roses" composed of thin, black, metallic blades of Hematite measuring up to 2.7 cm across, associated with white/colorless prismatic crystals of Quartz that range from virtually water-clear to translucent, but what really makes this piece unusual is that there is a dark grey-black crystal of what is labeled as Todorokite in Kurt's collection catalogue measuring about 1.0 cm long sitting in the center of the piece. Upon close inspection, the Todorokite (a rare complex manganese oxide mineral) has a distinct hexagonal shape, and is actually hollow in the center, leading me to believe it might have pseudomorphed a different preexisting mineral, or possibly formed a "cast" after said mineral. I can't remember seeing a piece like this from Lechang in the past, and we haven't had it analyzed, so we have to go with the catalogue information regarding the identity of the Todorokite. A really interesting specimen from this well-known Chinese locality.
From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#762 C), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection over the coming months and years through our various platforms.