Cochise College          Photos of Minerals

                          Geology Home Page                

                          Roger Weller, geology instructor

                          [email protected]
                                  copyright 2006-R.Weller
 

Mineral Information on:
rhodonite

Chemical Group:    silicate

Chemical Formula:    MnSiO₃

Color:  light brownish red, flesh red, rose pink                 Streak: white

Hardness: 5.5 to 6.5          Specific Gravity:  3.4 to 3.68

Fracture:  conchoidal to uneven

Cleavage: 2 direction are perfect, one direction imperfect

Crystal Forms: Triclinic system
     Crystals are often large and rounded

Mineral Associations:  found in manganese ore bodies

Identifying Characteristics:  harder than rhodochrosite and it often has black MnO₂ present

Uses:  gemstone

Occurrences: 
WORLD-WIDE
Australia:
     Tasmsworth, New South Wales (imperial red rhodonite)

Toxicity:      when-swallowed- low           when inhaled- high

Additional Information: