Rhodonite with Franklinite

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The zinc-manganese mineral deposit at Franklin mine, Franklin mining district, Sussex Co. New Jersey, USA is one of the world's premier localities for Rhodonite crystals, and from there they have their own distinctive form. Sometimes called the variety Fowlerite, the pale pink opaque crystals share a similar shape to the magnificent Rhodonite crystals found at Broken Hill in New South Wales, Australia, but their colour and transparency is very different to their cherry-red Australian counterparts. This superbly crystallized small cabinet display specimen features a triangular outer arrangement of large blocky 'prismatic' crystals individually to 3 cm in length, but longer when their stepped growth is taking in account. The central zone within the triangle contains minor white Calcite from which smaller, but nicely terminated Rhodonite crystals, rise upwards at 90 degrees from the surface. Inclusions of black Franklinite can be seen within some of the Rhodonite crystals proving its Franklin heritage. A really classy crystallized Rhodonite from this famous of occurrences.