Mangano Calcite is a manganese-rich variety of calcite prized by collectors for its soft, pastel pink coloration. It is easily identified by its distinctive bright pink fluorescence under short-wave ultraviolet light and its typical rhombohedral crystal habit.
Is this mangano calcite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch mangano calcite with a known reference. Mangano Calcite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Mangano Calcite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Mangano Calcite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, pale pink, peach, lavender.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: rhombohedral crystals, massive, botryoidal.
Often confused with
Mangano Calcite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside mangano calcite
Minerals reported to co-occur with mangano calcite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Ca,Mn)CO₃
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 2.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Rhombohedral Crystals, Massive, Botryoidal
- Cleavage
- Perfect Rhombohedral
- Fluorescence
- Bright Pink Under SW UV
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Low-temperature Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $5-50 for small specimens, $100+ for large crystals
Where rockhounds find mangano calcite
Classic worldwide localities
- Peru
- Mexico
- Romania
- China
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, low-temperature ore deposits country, the host setting where mangano calcite typically forms. If you start seeing calcite, galena, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a rhombohedral crystals, massive, botryoidal habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify mangano calcite?+
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How much is mangano calcite worth?+
What rocks look like mangano calcite?+
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Find mangano calcite on the map
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