Rhodonite

"Pink massive rhodonite. This specimen was a gift to Dr. Tarassoff from Professors A. Yazawa and Professor Nambu, Research Inst. of Mineral Dressing and Metallurgy, Tohoku, University, Sendai, Japan; May 1969."

The Noda-Tamagawa mine is renowned for its rich diversity of mineral species, high-grade manganese ore production, and recent discovery of uranium ores. Over seventy minerals, including rare specimens, have been identified in this mining area. The sedimentary-exhalative manganese ore represents one of Japan's largest bedded manganese deposits.

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This specimen comes from the collection of Peter Tarassoff, a prominent figure in mineralogy, particularly known for his work at Mont Saint-Hilaire (MSH). His diligent collecting and examination efforts have led him to be the first to identify at least 35 species and discover 12 new species, not only at MSH but also at other alkaline localities. Dubbed the "Dean" of Mont Saint-Hilaire collectors, Peter was honoured with the naming of the new species petarasite in 1980. He has authored or co-authored numerous mineralogical articles and has been a member of the Mineralogical Association of Canada since 1964 and the Mineralogical Society of America for over 30 years. Additionally, Peter has volunteered at the Redpath Museum for the past 21 years. In recognition of his significant contributions to mineralogy, Dr. Peter Tarassoff was awarded the 2017 Pinch Medal by the Mineralogical Association of Canada.

Peter's dedication to systematic collecting, curating his collection, and maintaining an archive of detailed historical and scientific information has greatly benefited the mineral sciences community both in Canada and globally. All specimens from this collection come with the original P. Tarassoff collection label.