Rhodonite
Franklin, New Jersey
This specimen measures 9cm x 9cm
Rhodonite MnSiO3
Inosilicates; manganese silicate, often with some calcium
Color and Luster: Brownish red, flesh-red, pink; rarely yellowish or greenish; may tarnish brown or black upon exposure; vitrous; streak colorless
Hardness: 5.5-6
Cleavage: Good, two directions at nearly right angles
Fracture: Conchoidal, uneven
Crystals: Triclinic; rare, blocky, tabular, or square prismatic, crystals usually fine-grained masses, granular, compact, cleavable
Note: Specimen donated by Pablo Cuevas
Photo by Mary Sutherland
Descriptions taken from
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals