Rhodochrosite

N’Chwaning II Mine, Kuruman, Kalahari, Northern Cape, South Africa

Small Cabinet

6.8 x 5.2 x 3.4 cm

A rather bizarre cluster of lustrous rhodochrosite that is salmon pink in color. It has two small sections of deeply saturated strawberry red crystals with the “shields” habit, however most of the piece features less saturated crystals with pearlescent lustre. The appearance is almost reminiscent of mica. Striations of black and brown manganese matrix create a nice contrast throughout the piece. A very strange example of rhodochrosite from the famous NChwaning Mine.