Pyroxmangite (classic material)

Item Description

The famous quote from John Sinkankas was "gems are minerals after all". In our continued efforts to promote the importance of gemstones for ALL collectors, we want to give mineral collectors a chance at a rare cut stone that complements a choice mineral specimen from a classic locality. Some of the finest mineral collections in the world are accompanied by gemstones that either complete a "rough and cut" set for certain specimens, or simply show the beauty of particular species when they are faceted. We are offering this stone as an opportunity for collectors to expand their horizons and purchase gemstones that would supplement crystallized specimens in their collections. I think it is important for collectors to know that faceted stones can expand one's interests in minerals and can add a certain reverence to the hobby of collecting minerals. Pyroxmangite is a fairly simple, yet fairly rare Manganese Silicate which is rarely found in such rich samples as the Sunnyside mine in Colorado. This piece is a beautiful "Oval Cabochon" of light pink Pyroxmangite which is intermixed with a slight amount of metallic sulfides and brownish Alleghanyite. This piece has a great concentration for this mine, and although it is massive Pyroxmangite, it's a great rarity for collectors. For a long time, this material was thought to be Rhodonite, but this is not the case, and virtually all of the "Rhodonite" from the Sunnyside has been analyzed and is confirmed as being Pyroxmangite. Considering that Pyroxmangite is even more rare than Rhodonite, I think this is a wonderful opportunity to buy a superb sample of this hard to find material from a now defunct San Juan locality. Priced at just over $1 per carat for the starting price, and well worth it for the rarity and size of the stone.