Rhodochrosite Mineral Data

General Rhodochrosite Information

Chemical Formula:

MnCO3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 114.95 gm

Manganese 47.79 % Mn 61.71 % MnO

Carbon 10.45 % C 38.29 % CO₂

Oxygen 41.76 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Mn²⁺(CO₃)

Environment:

Commonly forms during oxidation of Mn-bearing ores in a carbonate environment.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1800

Locality:

Cavnic (Kapnik), Maramures, Romania Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek rhodon -"rose" and chroma - "color."

Name Pronunciation:

Rhodochrosite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Dialogite

ICSD 100677

Manganese spar

PDF 44-1472

Parakutnohorite - intermediate composition between calcite and rhodochrosite

Rhodochrosite Image

Images:

Helvite Rhodochrosite

Comments: Yellow crystals of helvite on quartz and pink rhodochrosite.
Location: Galerie Elisabeth, Cavnic, Maramures, Romaina. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Rhodochrosite

Comments: Cherry red rhodochrosite with quartz, tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite and fluorite matrix.
Location: Rivas Pocket, Fluorite Raise, Sweet Home mine, Alma, Colorado, USA. Scale: 8 x 8cm..
© Fabre Minerals

Rhodochrosite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:3.2803

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.777, c = 15.67, Z = 6; V = 309.68 Den(Calc)= 3.70

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Hexagonal Scalenohedral H-M Symbol (3 2/m) Space Group: R 3c

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.84(1), 1.763(0.35), 3.66(0.35),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 1) ( 2 1 0)

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Physical Properties of Rhodochrosite

Cleavage:

{1011} Perfect, {1011} Perfect, {1011} Perfect

Color:

Pinkish red, Red, Rose red, Yellowish gray, Brown.

Density:

3.69

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).

Habit:

Columnar - Forms columns

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Rhodochrosite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.055 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.057 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1908,KPDmeas= 0.1913,KC= 0.2024
Ncalc = 1.75

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.596-1.598, w=1.814-1.816, bire=0.2180.

Calculated Properties of Rhodochrosite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.53 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Rhodochrosite =3.69 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0013498377
Boson Index = 0.9986501623

Photoelectric:

PE_{Rhodochrosite}= 12.46 barns/electron
U=PE_{Rhodochrosite} x rElectron Density= 44.00 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Rhodochrosite is Not Radioactive

Rhodochrosite Classification

Dana Class:

14.01.01.04 (14)Anhydrous Carbonates

(14.01)with Simple Formula A+ CO3

(14.01.01)Calcite Group (Trigonal: R-3c)

14.01.01.01 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.01.01.02 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.01.01.03 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.01.01.04 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.01.01.05 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.01.01.06 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.01.01.07 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.01.01.08 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

05.AB.05 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.A - Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O

05.AB -Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates

05.AB.05 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

05.AB.05 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m

05.AB.05 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

05.AB.05 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

05.AB.05 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

05.AB.05 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

05.AB.05 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

05.AB.05 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

Other Rhodochrosite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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Rhodochrosite

MnCO3
Dana No: 14.01.01.04 Strunz No: 05.AB.05
Locality:

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