A bright pink stone, rhodonchrosite is sometimes confused with rhodonite, but is banded with white.

Chemical Formula: MnCO3
Class: Cardonates
Hardness: 3.5-4
Coloration: Rose Pink, Brown or gray

How to identify it/Unique Characteristics or Properties: A bright pink stone, rhodonchrosite is sometimes confused with rhodonite, but is banded with white, where rhodonite is banded with black manganese. Rhodochrosite is commonly found in stalactites and stalagmite clusters. When those stalactites are cut open, they make pink and white circles in the stone, as in the picture above.

Where to find it in…

The Northwest: Butte, Montana
Other: Colorado, USA. Japan, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, France, Germany.
Past Uses: Mainly an ornamental mineral, in high quantities is sometimes used as an ore to extract manganese.
How it was Made: In hydrothermal ore veins. or in high temperature metamorphic rock. Stalagmites are formed when manganese minerals are dissolved by groundwater, mixed with carbonite, and then drip off a cave ceiling.
Interesting Facts: Rhodochrosite has been found as amazing stalactites in some abandoned silver mines of the Incas.