Pyrolusite

Unknown Owner

Germany really is blessed with some of the finest crystallized specimens of manganese oxides. Everyone knows about the magnificent Manganite crystals from Ilfeld in the Harz Mountains in the northernmost part of Thuringia, but the Gremmelsbach area in the southwest of Germany has produced stunning crystallized specimens of Pyrolusite like this wonderful cabinet-sized display piece. The large shiny grey metallic acicular crystals fan outwards from pale coloured host rock into a cavity, interlocking like fingers with similar-sized Pyrolusite crystals from the other side of the pocket, thus almost entirely filling the void. This is, dare I say, a quite attractive display of manganese oxides, and the Pyrolusite crystals reach a significant length of about 2.5 cm. Ex Hettrich Collection.