JPR01 Rhodochrosite
Oppu mine, Nishimeya-mura, Naka-Tsugaru-gun, Aomori, Japan
15.4x 9.8x 2.2 cm
$2300
A spectacular cabinet sized example of rhodochrosite from Japan. This piece has particularly vibrant color, and interestingly combines a botryoidal habit with underlying crystals. Oppu rhodochrosite usually has a more pastel color (you can compare to the other offerings on this page)-- pieces like this have never been common
The Oppu mine was intermittently worked for various ore between the 1600's and closure 1979, with a final smaller scale operation undertaken int he 1980's to recover lapidary rhodochrosite.
