Wutong Emperor and Empress
Mineral Matters #90
Another post for this week’s Facebook Mineral of the Week Group’s selected theme of minerals from China.
I first noticed some Chinese rhodochrosite specimens appearing for sale in the middle of the first decade of this Century (the “noughties”). These were generally very small rosettes of pink crystals on quartz crystals.
I have one specimen from that era (see end of post), and another acquired a few years later that has red rhombohedral crystals.
And then along came the Wutong Emperor and Empress. These two unbelievable specimens were on display at the 2011 Tucson Show.
Below: The Wutong Emperor with my wife for scale.
Below: The Wutong Empress with my wife for scale.
Below: Rhodochrosite, Quartz, Wutong Mine (Wudong Mine), Liubao, Cangwu Co., Wuzhou, Guangxi, China, 38mm wide. My collection.
Wives are so good for scales at rock shows They bring such happiness as even if you can not take the rock home, you know the lady beside will be there for you.