A beautiful rhodochrosite from the Capillitas mining district, in the Catamarca Province of Argentina. This material is well-known amongst collectors, as this is the only locality in the world that produces these banded stalactites and concretions of layered rhodochrosite. It is known colloquially as "Inca Rose", although there is no evidence to support that the deposit was exploited so long ago. It first appears in the literature in 1873, though natives likely mined the placer deposits for gold in pre-Colombian times. It is stunning when cut and polished, often showing beautiful patterns and layered growth - much like the rings on the cross section of a tree.
This particular piece is a gorgeous nodule of banded, off-white rhodochrosite that is accentuated nicely by several thin layers of deep red. The piece has been sawn and the front face polished to reveal a stunning floral pattern. The "center" is a flower-like assemblage of rhodochrosite stalactites in cross-section. The backside shows the outer rind, which is brown from iron oxides. I would consider this to be a collectors piece but it could make several very nice slices if a lapidary wanted to risk it. There is no significant damage worth mentioning, and custom mounting is available at checkout.
Dimensions: 2.14 x 1.74 x 0.75 in (5.4 x 4.4 x 1.9 cm)
