Rhodochrosite

📍Uchucchacua Mine, Uchucchacua area, Oyón District, Oyón Province, Lima, Peru 🇵🇪
Dimensions: 14 / 10 / 8 mm

This is an exceptionally fine single rhodochrosite crystal from the famous Uchucchacua Mine in the Oyón Province of Lima, Peru. The crystal displays a perfect scalenohedral form with a rich, saturated red color, superb transparency, and bright luster. Its vivid hue and gem-like clarity make it a miniature masterpiece. A small remnant of dark goethite matrix at the base provides strong visual contrast, further emphasizing the brilliance of the rhodochrosite.

The Uchucchacua Mine is one of the world’s foremost sources of rhodochrosite. Although primarily a producer of silver, lead, and zinc, it has gained international recognition among collectors for yielding rhodochrosite crystals of exceptional color and form. These crystals occur within the Upper Cretaceous Jumasha Limestone Formation, precipitated from medium- to low-temperature hydrothermal fluids within fracture zones.

This crystal stands out for its outstanding color intensity, clarity, and pristine condition, representing a superb example from this classic Peruvian locality — a choice specimen for any collector of carbonate minerals or South American classics.