Rhodochrosite with Pyrite (classic material)

Item Description

The famed Oppu Mine is one of the great historic localities in Japan. It is renowned for producing some of the most iconic and distinctive Rhodochrosite specimens in history. This mine dates back to the 1600s, and the Rhodochrosite specimens date back into the 1800s. The locality 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 translucent, spherical aggregates of Rhodochrosite with a lovely saturated pink hue, and metallic golden Pyrite. Looking closely, you can see small tapered trigonal crystals along with minor "sprays" of Rhodochrosite for a nice touch. A few of the Rhodo aggregates are contacted, revealing that they are actually slightly banded on the edge, showing how they formed in layers. An attractive example of these most classic specimens from this prestigious mine. Valued $1,200.