Vanadinite, Manganese Oxide

A small cabinet specimen featuring numerous bright red-orange vanadinite crystals scattered across a fibrous dark manganese oxide-coated limonite matrix. The crystals occur as stout hexagonal prisms, standing out against the contrasting black matrix.

The specimen originates from the famous Mibladen Mining District, Morocco, one of the world's premier localities for vanadinite. For decades, the district has produced some of the finest vanadinite specimens ever discovered, ranging from delicate crystal groups to richly covered matrix pieces such as this. From the international mineral collection of Peter Tarassoff, this is a classic example from one of the most celebrated vanadinite localities on Earth.