Rhodochrosite
Mineral MnCO3
Also called Rosinca
About it
Rose-red rhombs, and banded pink stalactites that are sliced and polished; softer than rhodonite, which it resembles. The Sweet Home mine, Colorado, and N'Chwaning, South Africa, give fine crystals; banded material comes from Argentina.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Carbonate, calcite group
- Formula
- MnCO3
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 3.5–4
- Specific gravity
- 3.5–3.7
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), pearly
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Colours
- rose red, pink, red, orange, brown, grey
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect rhombohedral
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.