Manganite

Manganite from the deposit at Ilfeld in the south-eastern Harz mountains of Germany is one of Western Europe’s most iconic minerals and would surely feature in any exhibit or display representing this region of the continent. This old time specimen is of magnificent quality, the like of which was only recovered in the early days of mining operations. Like many similar localities particularly famous for a certain species, it is often presumed there was a near continuous supply of such material throughout the mine’s life, but all too often such production was more likely limited to that of one or two years or even months. Superb lustrous black metallic Manganite crystals entirely cover a matrix of massive Manganite, the average crystal size being about 1 to 1.5 cm tall. By far the largest crystal measures to 3.5 cm tall with a diameter of around 1 cm. This is a museum grade specimen and an outstanding example of crystallised Manganite from Ilfeld.