Rhodochrosite with Parsettensite (rare)

Item Description

Rhodochrosite is a beloved species for both dealers and collectors, found in different environments on Earth. With that said, pegmatitic Rhodo specimens are certainly not common and often quite different than the more commonly seen rhombs and scalenohedrons seen in ore body deposits. This piece is from the famed Foote Mine in North Carolina, which was known to produce some unusual habits of Rhodochrosite in very limited numbers. This particular piece features dozens of tiny pale pinkish colored Rhodochrosite crystals that measure less than 1 mm, which are sitting atop rich brown colored radial "sprays" of Parsettensite, and if you look closely, you'll see tiny Pyrite crystals here and there. We photographed the piece with a Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens to better illustrate the quality. A really cool example of this elusive and desirable material, one of the few we've had to offer. From the collection Jack Eaker (whose label says the specimen was identified by Jason Smith).