Provenite

N'Chwaning Mines

MineActiveDraft data

27.1353° S, 22.8703° E · ± 10 km

Rhodochrosite from Northern Cape, South Africa, with photos of specimens from this locality.

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Minerals found here

Rhodochrosite

Rhodochrosite at N'Chwaning Mines

Red scalenohedral crystals in manganese-ore pockets, mostly from N'Chwaning I.

Sparkly bright pink rhodochrosite crystal group on a specimen of about 8 cm from the N'Chwaning Mines.
Sparkly bright pink rhodochrosite crystal group on a specimen of about 8 cm from the N'Chwaning Mines.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Hemispherical cluster of bladed pink rhodochrosite crystals about 3 cm across, N'Chwaning Mines.
Hemispherical cluster of bladed pink rhodochrosite crystals about 3 cm across, N'Chwaning Mines.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Rhodochrosite ball about 2 cm across on black manganese ore matrix, N'Chwaning Mines.
Rhodochrosite ball about 2 cm across on black manganese ore matrix, N'Chwaning Mines.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
A sizeable specimen of sparkly bright pink rhodochrosite crystals from the N'Chwaning Mines.
A sizeable specimen of sparkly bright pink rhodochrosite crystals from the N'Chwaning Mines.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
A plate of sharp glassy rhodochrosite crystals on manganese ore matrix from the N'Chwaning Mines, Kalahari Manganese Field.
A plate of sharp glassy rhodochrosite crystals on manganese ore matrix from the N'Chwaning Mines, Kalahari Manganese Field.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
MnCO₃
Morphology
Scalenohedral crystals, spherical and hemispherical aggregates, bladed clusters
Typical size
Photographed specimens 2-8 cm
Color / luster
Cherry-red to hot pink, glassy to sparkly
Associated minerals
Manganitehausmannitebaritequartz
Availability
Scarce
History
Pocket discoveries in 1976-1978 yielded exceptional specimens including one of about 100 kg; most red rhodochrosite comes from N'Chwaning I rather than II

Sources: SRC-391 SRC-392 SRC-403

About Rhodochrosite →

Geology of the locality

Setting
Hydrothermally upgraded, strongly faulted manganese ore body of the Kalahari Manganese Field, Transvaal Supergroup.
Type
Hydrothermal
Host rock
Hotazel Formation (Griqualand West Sequence)
Region
Northern Cape
Country
South Africa

Coordinates are those of N'Chwaning I on the Mindat page (27 deg 8 min 7 s S, 22 deg 52 min 13 s E), used for the N'Chwaning mine group (I, II and III lie within a few km), hence +/- 10 km. N'Chwaning I is closed; N'Chwaning II is still in production.

Sources: SRC-391 SRC-392

Sources

  1. SRC-391 · Database
    N'Chwaning I Mine, N'Chwaning Mines, Joe Morolong Local Municipality, Northern Cape, South AfricaMindat.org contributors · Mindat.org / Hudson Institute of Mineralogy
  2. SRC-392 · Website
    Nchwaning mineWikipedia contributors · Wikipedia
  3. SRC-403 · Website
    Wikimedia Commons: Rhodochrosite-122895.jpg (N'Chwaning)Lavinsky, R.M. · Wikimedia Commons

Draft data from the Provenite workbook. Check entries against the cited sources before relying on them. Photos are open-licence images from Wikimedia Commons; the author and licence are given with each photo.