Manganite

specimen number:
2262144

location:
Ilfeld, Harztor, Nordhausen, Thuringia, Germany

description:
Lustrous black prismatic crystals of manganite measuring to 0.3 cm in size across the top of matrix with minor barite. Minimal damage present. The specimen comes with a previous label from dealer Larry Conklin.

Ilfeld, located in the southern Harz Mountains of Thuringia, Germany, is the world's premier locality for the mineral manganite. Geologically, the deposit consists of hydrothermal veins hosted within Permian-aged volcanic rocks, specifically porphyrite and melaphyre, where manganese oxides precipitated in open vugs and fissures. Manganite from this district is legendary for its high quality, typically forming lustrous, jet-black, deeply striated prismatic crystals that often occur in spectacular radiating groups or bundles. Historically, mining and quarrying for manganese in the Ilfeld area began in the late 1700s, with the most significant period of production occurring between 1880 and 1920. The most famous operations, such as the Glueckauf Mine and the Braunstein Mine, were worked primarily for manganese used in the steel and chemical industries of the German Empire. While commercial extraction declined and eventually ceased by the mid-20th century due to the exhaustion of the most accessible veins, the district remains the international type locality for manganite.

Lawrence Conklin was a world-renowned mineral dealer based in New York City, widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable and sophisticated figures in the history of the mineral trade. Operating from his office on 5th Avenue and later from his home in Connecticut, Conklin specialized in "antique" minerals and specimens with significant historical provenance. He was a meticulous researcher and an elegant writer, often publishing articles that corrected historical errors in mineralogical literature. His career spanned over five decades, during which he handled some of the finest known specimens from classic European and American localities, setting a high standard for aesthetic quality and documentation in the field.

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