RHODONITE

Description:

Rhodonite is an attractive mineral which is named after the Greek word for rose, rhodon. Rhodonite is typically pink to brownish-red or orange and even black. Transparent crystals are rare and fragile. Its beautiful pink color often has black manganese oxide veins running through it, giving it a distinct appearance. For this reason it is carved into beads, cabochons, and ornamental objects. In 18th century Russia, it was used extensively for decorating the Russian court.

Rhodonite was officially discovered in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, and documented in 1819, although it had been widely used as an ornamental stone before. Rhodonite typically comes in massive, coarse and fine granular aggregates. It forms in hydrothermal, metamorphic and metasomatic rocks. It does not react to acids and is usually associated with black manganese minerals and pyrite. The manganese is often partly replaced by iron, magnesium, calcium, and sometimes zinc which may sometimes be present in considerable amounts. Rhodonite crystals are generally translucent and rarely transparent and rather brittle.

Some of the more notable occurrences of rhodonite are the Ural Mountains, Russia; Broken Hill, Australia (which is particularly famous for its transparent crystals); Pajsberg and Langban, Sweden; Menas Gerais, Brazil; Franklin and Sterling Hill, New Jersey, USA .

Characteristics:

Chemistry: (Mn,Fe,Mg,Ca)SiO₃

Class: silicates

Hardness (Mohs scale): 5.5 – 6.5

Density: 3.5 - 3.7

Refractive index: 1.71 – 1.75

Dispersion: none

Crystal System: triclinic

Crystal habit: crystals that have a blocky prismatic habit are rare. More typically massive,

coarse and fine granular aggregates

Fracture: chonchoidal

Cleavage: perfect in two directions

Transparency: translucent, rarely transparent