Name:
Rhodochrosite		 Origin of name:
from the Greek rhodon, meaning pink, and chrosis, meaningcolour		 Chemical composition:
MnCO3
Rhodochrosite, manganese carbonate, forms in hydrothermal veins and in metamorphosed manganese deposits. It sometimes occurs as rhombohedral crystals, but more often in massive granular or, as illustrated here, stalactitic forms.

Rhodochrosite is important as an ore of manganese. An attractive pink- and red-banded stalactitic variety, which is found in Argentina, is valued as an ornamental stone.

 Crystal system:
trigonal/hexagonal
Class:
Carbonates
Hardness:
3.5-4.0
Cleavage:
perfect rhombohedral
Colour:
typically pink or red
Specific gravity:
3.7

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