Rhodochrosite (rare locale) (ex Brian Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

The lesser known Moose Mine in Gilpin County, Colorado produced the best crystals of Rhodochrosites from anywhere in the county. This mine is not far from the site of the first gold rush in Colorado. These pieces were rather difficult to find on the market decades ago, and nearly impossible today. Very few good examples were ever found, and you will only find them in old collections. The best of these crystals have a notably intense pink-red color with good internal gemminess. Most of the the crystals I've seen from this locality are loose rhombs off matrix, and they often have some kind of coating, whether it be black manganase oxide or brownish iron oxide. This single crystal is a very nice example of a Moose Mine Rhodo as it does not have any coating, and it features sharp well-formed faces, a lovely reddish-pink hue when backlit. If you collect Rhodochrosite, Colorado minerals, or just interesting thumbnails, don't miss out on this one. From the collection of Brian Kosnar.