Rhodochrosite, N’Chwaning Mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, South Africa RARE
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:31183022 | Country/Region of Manufacture: South Africa |
Rhodochrosite. N’Chwaning Mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, South Africa. This exceptional Rhodochrosite on Manganite presents vermillion to carmine red, fan shaped aggregates of smalltabular crystals as captured in the accompanying macro imagery. The piece presents well from multiple angleswith an undulating terrain informed by the manganite base over which therhodochrosite has formed a layered as a uniform deposit about 3 mm thick. This produces the effect of countle...ss variegatesparkling reflections of light from literally hundreds of individual flat trigonalplates. Under glass individual crystal aggregates are highlytranslucent to nearly transparent with internal refraction of light. Mindat reports that fan shaped aggregates from N’Chwaning are believed to be extremely rare. This specimen was acquired directly fromClive Queit back in the heyday of the early 1980s and has been stored in a protective cabinet ever since. The crystallizationis unblemished but for some minor abrasion around the perimeter, most likely asa consequence of its handling at the mine. As is often the case with soft minerals, this small amount of edgewear Isto be anticipated, and is very minor. 32 x 25 x 16 mm. Ex Coll. Clive Queit Ref: MF-07-0420
