Rhodochrosite on Manganite (rare, old locale)

Item Description

Gemmy, lustrous, dark cherry-red to reddish-brown rhodochrosite scalenohedrons to 9 mm are richly concentrated and scattered on the scuptural, mounded, starkly contrasting massive manganite matrix from an uncommon older locality, the Moanda Manganese Mine in Gabon. Some of the rhodochrosites are doubly terminated (largest crystal) and a few are very interestingly, two-tone or zoned. This material came out in the 1970s and early 1980s and no more have been found. Scattered bruising is noted, but is certainly a modest detraction for this rare rhodo, that looks like Kalahari Manganese Field rhodo, but its not. For the location this is an excellent quality in this size range.