Rhodonite

[southerly]

I was inspired by our gem of the month, so I cut a lump of rough I'd purchased a while back.

Any suggestions of where it might have come from?

MickB may have an idea, though there is a large number of pink to yellow rhodonite deposits that all look pretty much the same.

David

[mick B]

Very difficult to say which deposit this comes from, as there is quite a few this color, it does look like a tight grain, should polish good.

[Klingon]

You're a genius Klingon, why didn't I think of that? 

Sorry...just couldn't resist   

[MakkyBrown]

I'm becoming a bit of a rhodonite fan atm, thanks for sharing the pics. Looks a beautiful material, looking forward to seeing some.

Cheers
Andrew

[kanecats]

Hi David,
I live in the US and would like to get hold of some gemmy rhodenite rough like you posted, from your local. Can you share a contact by chance? Thanks, Diana

I have a question, some of the boys in my local club talk about Royal Rhodonite and those who one the peice will say it is and thoses that do not own it will often say its not and just plain Rhodonite.

So my question is- what is the differance between Rhodonite, Royal Rhodonite and Imperial Rhodonite?

Is it simply the royal and imperial have a deeper more red colour?

I am interested to hear the thought of those who are more learned then myself on the matter.

Yes it is based on colour and translucency, there is no objective measure I know of just the deeper and more translucent the red the better. I believe the term was coined for 'jewellery' grade rhodonite. MickB may be able to provide more details.

Here is the best piece of rhodonite I have cut, it just glows red in any sort of light and is very fined grained. Much of the deep red is quite coarsely crystalline and a challenge to polish.

This material comes from the Danglemar mine NE of Tamworth, which produced very high quality Rhodonite in thin veins. It takes a high polish.





Since this photo was taken I have achieved a better polish thanks to the help of Mick B.



Here is some fine Danglemar pink, not imperial buy a strong pink colour and very solid fine grained material that takes and excellent polish easily.



David

[angel777]

gday, I want to grab some so, nundle was my last trip, forgot the pink gem but want it, I not sure do i just head to the Tamworth or near it as mentioned above.
thanks, guys.
if you explain easily how to get there be helpful to me.
I'm loving it for sure. gorgeous stone. it's like pink gold.

[tinker]

I found some of the Yellow stained Rhodonite in an old mine off the Bingara to Warialda Road, this area is a public fossicking area and I found a bit of this rhodonite with the yellow staining in the diggings, but also found a couple of pieces of nice pink. It takes a nice polish.  Someone on this site told me about the mine probable about 5 years ago, I'd been to Nundle and found some nice pieces of Prase and then headed north from there.

[MrSydney]

I grew up in Tamworth and when a late teen did a trip to a Rhodonite spot just outside of Bendemeer on private property - not sure whose it is now.  I had a whole lot of big chunks of it and when I was at uni and my Mum sold and moved she threw it all out on me without telling me!! 

The irony was that she got massively into rocks and crystals a few years later and couldn't believe she'd done it either!

[MakkyBrown]

gday, I want to grab some so, nundle was my last trip, forgot the pink gem but want it, I not sure do i just head to the Tamworth or near it as mentioned above.
thanks, guys.
if you explain easily how to get there be helpful to me.
I'm loving it for sure. gorgeous stone. it's like pink gold.

Hello Angel,
I got some nice pink pieces at the at Rhodonite Mine near Bingara about 8 years ago.
Let me know if you're going there and I will let you know where I found my bits and what to look for.

CheersMB