Sturmanite on Manganite

Item Description

A distinctive and rich Sturmanite specimen consisting of dozens of disc-like crystals in clusters over half of the specimen. The Sturmanites are flattened, hexagonal crystals from 3 to 9 mm across with good luster and an appealing bronze-yellowish toned color. These translucent crystals have an atypical habic compared to the typical prismatic or stubby tabular styles. They are loosely to tightly clustered all across the top two-thirds of the piece and set on a very fine pink coating of what may be Rhodochrosite that is visible between the crystal clusters. The Sturmanites are set on a contrasting matrix of black-gray manganese ore. It is a very rich and very good specimen of this rare hydrated calcium-iron sulfate-borate from the manganese mines of South Africa. 1980s finds.