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 — that is 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?+
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Find mangano calcite on the map
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