Rhodonite from Russia

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Rhodonite

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Rhodonite is an attractive mineral that is often carved and used in jewelry. It is named after the Greek word for rose,
rhodon. Its rose-pink color is distinctive and can only be confused with rhodochrosite and the rare mineral, pyroxmangite,
MnSiO3. Rhodochrosite however is streaked with white minerals such as calcite and is reactive to acids. While rhodonite
does not react to acids and is usually associated with black manganese minerals and pyrite. Pyroxmangite is a little harder
to distinguish because the two minerals are closely related and x-ray studies are usually needed when found massive.
Crystals of pyroxmangite are often twinned as is not the case with rhodochrosite crystals. Crystals of rhodonite, while not in
nearly the same abundance as massive rhodonite, are still found and distributed on the mineral markets. They come from a
few notable localities and are considered classics by collectors.

Color is typically pink to red or orange and even black.
Luster is vitreous to dull to pearly on polished surfaces.
Transparency: Crystals are generally translucent and rarely transparent.
Crystal System is triclinic; bar 1
Crystal Habits include crystals that have a blocky prismatic habit, however crystals are rare. More typically massive, coarse
and fine granular aggregates.
Cleavage is perfect in two directions forming prisms with a rectangular cross-section.
Fracture is conchoidal.
Hardness is 5.5 - 6.5.
Specific Gravity is approximately 3.4 - 3.7+ (above average for translucent minerals)
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals are calcite, pyrite, microcline, spessartine, pyroxmangite and other manganese minerals.
Other Characteristics: May tarnish to a brown or black color upon exposure.
Notable Occurrences include Ural Mountains, Russia; Broken Hill, Australia; Langban, Sweden, Menas Gerais, Brazil and
Massachusetts and Franklin, New Jersey, USA.
Best Field Indicators are color, black inclusions, lack of reaction to acid and hardness.

www.gemstone.org
The different shades of colour have been assigned different names in the trade. For example, deep red Tourmaline is
named "Rubellite”, provided it shows the same fine ruby-red shade in daylight and in artificial light. Should the colour
change when the source of light changes, the stone will be called a "Pink Tourmaline”. Blue Tourmalines are called
"Indigolith”, "Dravite” is a golden-brown to dark brown Tourmaline, and black Tourmalines are known as "Schorl”. The latter
stone is mainly used for engravings and in esotericism, where it is highly cherished because it is reputed to ward off harmful
radiation from its wearer....

Rhodonite soothes the nervous system. This gemstone vibrates with love. Just holding this gemstone promotes relaxation
and brings a sense of well-being. This is a balance gemstone and is used to clear the psychic centers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodonite
Rhodonite is a mineral liable to alteration, with the formation of manganese carbonate (rhodochrosite), hydrous silicates or
oxides. The compact material, which is cut and polished for ornamental purposes, is often marked in a striking manner by
veins and patches of these black alteration products. At Syedelnikova, near Ekaterinburg in the Urals, compact material of a
good color occurs in a clay-slate and is extensively quarried: boulders of similar material found at Cummington, in
Massachusetts ( cummingtonite ) have also been worked as an ornamental stone. In the iron and manganese mines at
Pajsberg near Filipstadt and Langban in Vermland, Sweden, small brilliant and translucent crystals (pajsbergite) and
cleavage masses occur. Fowlerite occurs as large, rough crystals, somewhat resembling pink feldspar, with franklinite and
zinc ores in granular limestone at Franklin Furnace in New Jersey...