February 2024 – rhodochrosite

This mineral with its beautiful pink color is the mineral of the month for February. Rhodochrosite is also known in German as “raspberry spar” or “manganese spar”. The name manganese spar reveals which elements play a role in rhodochrosite, because rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate. Another commonly known mineral from the carbonate group is calcite – a calcium carbonate. In rhodochrosite, the divalent calcium ion is exchanged with a divalent manganese ion in comparison to calcite. Rhodochrosite forms in particular as a primary mineral in hydrothermal systems. Rhodochrosite is found there in a paragenesis with barite, calcite, dolomite, siderite, pyrite and quartz, among others. A paragenesis is also known as a mineral association, i.e. it describes with which other minerals a mineral occurs and is intergrown. The type locality for rhodochrosite is the Cavnic Mine in Romania. Rhodochrosite is used in particular as a gemstone.

Rhodochrosite

MnCO₃

Locality: Raura, Peru

Size: 7x17x12 cm (HxLxW)

Weight: 1800 g