significant Rhodochrosite on Dolomite ex Hefendehl Coll.

Item Description

This is an important rhodochrosite specimen for China, with a rhombohedral crystal perched atop contrasting matrix, nicely centered. The contrast of color is striking. More than that, this shape of rhodochrosite is super-rare from here, where so many rhombs ended up as somewhat squashed, disc-shaped crystals and lost the more normal 3-dimensionality we expect from other worldwide locations. A large, unrepaired, thick crystal like this is almost unheard of. An impressive, large, rich rose-red, 4.2 x 4.0 x 2.7 cm, rhodochrosite rhombohedron is aesthetically set on the sculptural contrasting small cabinet matrix of offwhite dolomite rhombs nicely accented with a few glassy, translucent, colorless fluorite cubes, to 8 mm. The translucent, highly lustrous rhodo is dramatically highlighted by the stepped-growth faces. The top of the rhombohedron is all there and some small cleaving on the sides is barely noticeable and is certainly only a minimal detraction to this outstanding combination example of this rhodochrosite style from the famous Wutong Mine. The little fluorites fluoresce blue-purple. See the 2011 Mineralogical Record article in China Special Issue III, Vol. 42, No. 6. This very fine older piece came out during the early collecting efforts between 2000 and 2007. Ex Kurt Hefendehl Collection. Valued $8000-10,000.