This lovely small miniature of well crystallised Hausmannite is from its type locality at Oehrenstock in the Ilmenau District of Thuringian Forest, Germany, an ancient manganese mining district. Hausmannite is a manganese oxide and here forms typical jet-black triangular crystals averaging 3 to 5 mm on edge, although up to 1 cm. The crystals have a bright metallic lustre and nestle in a matt granular matrix of massive Hausmannite and probable mixed manganese oxides. A nice example of Hausmannite from Oehrenstock and ex. the Josef Clemente (1899-1987) Collection of southern Germany.
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