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 piece consists of numerous rhodochrosite stalactites that grew together. Each individual stalactite mirroring the growth of the next - beginning with off-white, triangular cores and then showing successive generations of red to pink to off white until finally they grew into one another. Many of these stalactites show full centers, which is much more sought after than the more common banded material. This piece is chunky and appears to be only rhodochrosite with no host rock attached; as such, it could make numerous slices or a great carving. It is free of any significant damage. Custom mounting is available at checkout.
Dimensions: 2.48 x 2.04 x 1.39 in (6.3 x 5.2 x 3.5 cm)
