Rhodochrosite is a highly prized manganese carbonate mineral known for its vibrant, intense pink to raspberry-red coloration. Collectors look for its distinctive rhombohedral crystal form or polished bands in stalactitic material, which often exhibit a beautiful concentric layering pattern.
Is this rhodochrosite?
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 rhodochrosite with a known reference. Rhodochrosite sits at Mohs 3.5-4 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Rhodochrosite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Rhodochrosite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, red, rose-red, brownish, yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: rhombohedral crystals, botryoidal, stalactitic, massive.
Often confused with
Rhodochrosite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside rhodochrosite
Minerals reported to co-occur with rhodochrosite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MnCO₃
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5-4
- Density
- 3.5-3.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Rhombohedral Crystals, Botryoidal, Stalactitic, Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect Rhombohedral
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Gemstone, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Sedimentary Manganese Deposits
- Typical price
- $20-100 for small clusters, $500-10,000+ for high-quality rhombohedral specimens
Where rockhounds find rhodochrosite
21 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Sweet Home Mine, Colorado, USA
- Catamarca, Argentina
- Capillitas, Argentina
- Kuruman, South Africa
- Cavnic, Romania
U.S. states with rhodochrosite
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce rhodochrosite.
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, sedimentary manganese deposits country — that is the host setting where rhodochrosite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, fluorite, galena in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a rhombohedral crystals, botryoidal, stalactitic, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah, California, North Carolina — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify rhodochrosite?+
Where is rhodochrosite found?+
Can I find rhodochrosite in the United States?+
How much is rhodochrosite worth?+
What rocks look like rhodochrosite?+
What minerals are found with rhodochrosite?+
What kind of rock does rhodochrosite form in?+
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Find rhodochrosite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
