Rhodochrosite

Item Description

The Zanett tunnel is named after the family that owns the Grizzly Bear mine. Rhodochrosite specimens from this mine are among some of the most sought after San Juan Rhodochrosites by Colorado collectors. This specimen hosts small, sharp, lustrous, soft pink rhombohedrons of Rhodochrosite measuring up to 3 mm sitting on sugary white Quartz matrix. If you turn the piece over, you can clearly see two hollow "casts" (now referred to as perimorphs) which have replaced blocky / prismatic preexisting Anhydrite that dissolved away. It should be noted for years it was thought that the original mineral that was dissolved was actually Barite, but anything corrosive enough to dissolve Barite, would have wiped out everything else in the pocket as well. A beautiful thumbnail sized specimen of this classic material. Good quality and eye-catching, and impossible to find on the market these days.