Rhodonite (Illustrated 3 Times!)

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A superb and colorful specimen with unusually good aesthetics for this material - most from the find are rather more jumbly and as they grew in thick aggregates along the pocket wall many have peripheral contact damage that detracts. This one, with its roseate form, has great 3-dimensionality that enhances the color and the sharp bladed form of the crystals. This is from the a small pocket hit in 1991, which to this day remains the standard for quality from the locality despite subsequent finds in the late 1990s of much smaller, less robust, less well crystallized, and less colorful crystals. Many people consider these, along with the Australian rhodonites of gem quality and different form, to be the best in the world for the species. These great rhodonites came out ONCE in all the time mining has gone on for specimens in Peru, as a second find around 1998 paled in consequence. Few will be on the market now, as they can only come as collections are recycled. It is truly one of the most collectible and colorful of Peruvian minerals as mentioned in a recent column of CONNOSSIEUR'S CHOICE where this particular specimen was illustrated as well; but more than that is just a damned impressive rhodonite from ANY locale.