Rhodochrosite "sculpture" from La Rocha, Bolivia

The mineral rhodochrosite or manganese peat is a manganese carbonate with the chemical formula Mn2 + CO3--. The yellowish, brown, but rosy red rhodochrome has a glass gloss and a white stripe color. The crystal system is trigonal and the splitting is perfect according to the crystal plane [1011]. The average density is 3.69 and the hardness is 3. Rhodochrosite is not radioactive. It usually occurs as crystals or in granular or solid form and sometimes as spherical lumps that show inwardly concentric colored tires. The mineral is a source of manganese, and is used as such to cure steel. The name of the mineral rhodochrosite is derived from the Greek rhodon ("pink or red") and chroma ("color"). Rhodochrosite occurs in manganese-containing carbonate rich rocks that become oxidized. The mineral is also found in hydrothermal veins, along with copper, silver and lead ore, and in some metamorphic rocks of sedimentary origin. The type location is Cavnic (Kapnik), Maramures, Romania. It is also found in Alma, Colorado, United States.