Alabandite

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Alabandite is a very rare manganese sulphide requiring very unusual geological conditions as manganese and sulphur don't often want to combine. Of the few notable occurrences worldwide there are but a few where this species forms good crystals and when it does cubic crystals are typical. Broken Hill in Australia is different, and is renowned for highly distinctive fan-like sprays of dark grey Alabandite. Specimens are however, quite rare, and difficult to obtain. This one is of a very good size, with the longest branches reaching 5.9 cm in length, and presents very well mounted on an acryllic block. It is recorded as from ZC (Zinc Corporation) mine, and the story goes that they were all found in one pocket during the 1960s.