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 is a very special example - it is a thin slice that has been slabbed on a lapidary saw and polished on both sides to reveal a beautiful pattern of red to pink to off-white rhodo that form the shape of the letter "B". I am asking significantly more for this piece due to that fact. The piece is thin enough that light passes through the red parts of the rhodo making the specimen appear to glow. There is no significant damage, and custom mounting is available at checkout.
Dimensions: 2.26 x 1.36 x 0.19 in (5.7 x 3.4 x 0.4 cm)
