Rhodonite
The name Rhodonite derived from Greek "rhodon" - rose. It has dark red colour with black dendritic inclusions of manganese oxide. Transparent crystals are rare and seldom exceed 1g in weight but they can be cut as excellent gems.
| General Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chemical Formula |
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| Rhodonite Treatments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May be dyed: acetone test - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Physical Properties of Rhodonite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mohs Hardness | 5.5 to 6.5, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specific Gravity | 3.40 to 3.76, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cleavage Quality | Perfect, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fracture | Conchoidal, Gemstones (2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Optical Properties of Rhodonite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refractive Index | 1.711 to 1.752, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Optical Character | Biaxial/+, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birefringence | 0.010 to 0.014, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pleochroism | Distinct: yellowish-red - pinkish-red - yellowish-red, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dispersion | None, Gemstones of the world (2001) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colour (General) | Red, gray-red - (opaque); red, orange-red (transparent), Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Causes of Colour | Pink, Mn2+ in octahedral coordination, with minor Fe2+. Mn3+ in octahedral coordination, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transparency | Opaque, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lustre | Vitreous,Dull (Earthy), Gemstones (2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fluorescence & other light emissions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fluorescence (General) | Inert, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crystallography of Rhodonite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crystal System | Triclinic, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Habit | Commonly tabular or cleavable masses., Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geological Environment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Where found: | Rhodonite occurs in manganese deposits formed by hydrothermal contact and regional metamorphism., Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spectrographic Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Calculated Spectra: Click spectra for more information | Rhodonite - Locality: Unknown | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Further Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mineral information: | Rhodonite information at mindat.org | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Significant Gem Localities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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