Rhodochrosite

Rhodochrosite is, MnCO₃, a carbonate mineral of manganese. This sample, displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, was taken from a gold and silver mine in the American Tunnel, Silverton, Colorado. It was featured on a U.S. postage stamp in 1974.

Rhodochrosite crystals can have great beauty, but they are relatively soft and brittle and don't serve well in everyday use as gems. Rhodochrosite is a member of the calcite group of carbonates along with Smithsonite and siderite.

The manganese content gives rhodochrosite crystals their pink or red color.

This sample of rhodochrosite is about 5x5 cm and is from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada.

This sample of rhodochrosite is about 9x7 cm and is from Silverton, Colorado

This sample is rhodochrosite with arsenopyrite. It is about 11x14 cm and is from Cassandra, Greece.

This sample is described as rhodochrosite with willemite and franklinite. It is about 10x10 cm and is from Franklin, NJ.

This sample is about 20x20 cm in size and is from the N'Chwaning mine, Hotazel, South Africa.

This sample of rhodochrosite is about 6x9 cm.

This sample of rhodochrosite is about 20 cm wide. Such concentric growth patterns are seen often with rhodochrosite stalactites.