RHODOCHROSITE, N'CHWANING II MINE, KURUMAN, SOUTH-AFRICA (miniature)

Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral characterized by the chemical formula MnCO3. While it is rarely found in its pure form, it usually exhibits a rose-red hue, though it can also appear in various shades of pink to pale brown. The mineral leaves a white streak and has a Mohs hardness ranging from 3.5 to 4.5. Its specific gravity falls between 3.45 and 3.6. Rhodochrosite crystallizes in the trigonal system and features a structure and cleavage consistent with the carbonate rhombohedral system.