Description
Collectors say that minerals are the universe’s autobiography, written in atoms. Manganite — black, striated, and metallic — forms in low-temperature hydrothermal veins and is the primary ore of manganese. The Ilfeld locality in Germany’s Harz Mountains produced reference-quality prismatic crystals in the 19th century. These specimens helped define the species; some remain in museum collections that are the envy of science.
This specimen originates from Ilfeld, Harz Mountains, Germany, one of the world’s most significant localities for this type of material. Collectors and scientists have drawn from this region for generations, and for good reason: the combination of geological conditions here produces specimens of exceptional quality and clarity.
Every specimen is unique. Photographs approximate the visual experience, but the real thing — its weight, its luster under a raking light, the way it catches the corner of your eye — can only be experienced directly.
