Rhodonite

Rhodonite

     Manganese Iron Magnesium Calcium Silicate ((Mn,Ca)SiO₃)
     Color: pink, pink-gray, crimson up to red; for units with small quantity of impurities - bright and uniform, with their increase there is a spotty pale colouring.
     Hardness: 5 - 5.5 on Mohs scale.
     Density: 3.4 - 3.7 gr/sm³.
     Shine: glass, on planes of cleavage with pearl.
     Transparency: opaque, in thin plates and breaks the bright rhodonite is translucent.
     The name of this mineral origin from Greek "radon" - a rose or pink. In ancient time in Russia it named "orlets". Frequently this word is used for designating the rhodonite-having ore. Now in the jewelry industry rhodonite is semi-precious or ornamental mono- or polymineral aggregate which basic component is the same material. In association with rhodonite connects: bustimite, quartz, spessartine, rhodochrozite, secondary oxides of manganese and others.
     Rhodonite is typical formation of regional-metamorphogenic manganese-having volcanogenic sedimentary formations. It is opened on Ural in 1798, and in 19 century was widely used in Russian gemstone carving art. Bright beautiful coloring, ability it is fine to be polished have determined rhodonite as unique ornamental gemstone and even jewel. For producing cabochons for rings, brooches etc. takes bright crimson translucent rhodonite - a rare material on deposits, and for manufacturing stone carving wares ( vases, jewelry boxes, desk sets, candelabrums) - non-uniformly painted with dendrites of oxides of manganese (landscape rhodonite). The best samples of vases, jewelry boxes are in the Hermitage palace in St-Petersburg(Russia).
     The largest and famous deposit - Malo-Sidelnikovo on Ural, was maintained in the open time as opencast, and then - underground way. Perspective deposits are revealed on Ural - Kurganovskoe, in Central Asia - Sultanuisdagskoe, on Ukraine, in Buryatiya. Rhodonite of these deposits on quality concedes to rhondonite of a deposit of Malo-Sidelnikovo. Sultanuisdagskoe and Kurganovskoe deposits are prepared for industrial development.
     Rhodonite applied to manufacturing of different art gemstones wares ( vases, ashtrays, jewelry boxes, desk sets, candelabrums, clocks etc.) and cabochons - inserts in jewelry (rings, brooches, cuff links etc.), and also a beads.

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