Rhodochrosite

This gorgeous specimen shows off the brillliant, lustrous, vividly colorful "cherry pocket" color that came out after the darker, more slender scalenohedral crystals considered most classical for the mine. This style, however, is probalby more "beautiful" in sheer pizzazz and color splash terms. The piece glows with color. The pics can barely convey it, though they are quite good. As with most such large rhodo crystals from this mine, we have the inevitable problem of tip cleaves. There is a very slight cleave from the back-forward at the tip of the longer crystal. The shorter, fatter crystal shows a cleave at its tip that would have happenned in the pocket, and over which the longer crystal clearly grew later in crystal formation. So, its a natural, rehealed cleave in my book and certainly does not detract visually in any case. This is one of the most gorgeous rhodo mini's I have seen, for under a crazy price in years!

Unknown Owner

Product details

Species

Rhodochrosite

SizeMiniature

Dimensions3.3 x 2.1 x 1.5 cm

Locality

South Africa, Northern Cape, N'Chwaning I Mine

Added on10/23/2024

Comments

Known provenance

2024/08