Rhodochrosite (classic material)

Item Description

The Oppu Mine is one of the great historic Japanese localities, most famous for producing some of the most iconic Rhodochrosite specimens in history. This mine dates back to the 1600s, and the Rhodochrosite specimens date back into the 1800s. The mine is long closed, and good Rhodos are seldom seen on the market, which is a shame because they are incredibly distinctive and beautiful. This piece is a showy small cabinet specimen featuring a coverage of "finger"-shaped stalactitic-esque aggregates of Rhodochrosite measuring up to a few mm, with a medium orange-pink hue, with black Sphalerite and metallic golden Pyrite underneath. A few of the Rhodo aggregates are contacted, revealing that they are actually slightly hollow in the center, showing how they formed in banded layers. An attractive example of these most classic specimens from this prestigious mine.