rhodochrosite

Rhodochrosite is absent from early listings of Tsumeb minerals up to and including Bartelke (1976). Nevertheless, it has been reported by several more recent authors commencing with Pinch and Wilson (1977) who simply stated that "Rare pink masses [of rhodochrosite] have been observed" with no further comment and no indication of how the mineral was identified.

Keller (1984), Gebhard (1991, 1999) and Von Bezing et al. (2007, 2014, 2016) all included rhodochrosite in their lists of Tsumeb minerals, but apparently based only on the Pinch and Wilson (1977) article.

Perhaps the most credible report is that of Lombaard et al. (1986) who simply included the mineral in their species list and indicated that it is "extremely rare"; in the absence of further information, however, it is possible that even this record (by the geological and mineralogical staff of the Tsumeb Corporation) was simply following the precedent of Pinch and Wilson (1977).

Two specimens of putative rhodochrosite from Tsumeb are figured on Mindat although, once again, no means of identification is provided:

1. A specimen of pink, scalenohedral rhodochrosite with crystals to 11 mm, associated with tsumcorite, on galena, (ex Desmond Sacco material, ex Fabre Minerals) is shown as photo I.D. 313243. (http://www.mindat.org/photo-313243.html; accessed May 2015). While the association with tsumcorite is supportive of a Tsumeb provenance, analysis would be required for certain identification of the associated pink carbonate mineral.
2. A specimen in the collection of Robert Meyer, Mindat photo I.D. 14771, shows two scalenohedrons of rhodochrosite (to 2 mm) with wulfenite, on chalcocite (http://www.mindat.org/photo-14771.html; accessed May 2015). Once again, analysis would be required for certain identification.

Rhodochrosite is listed as "believed valid" on mindat.org citing Gebhard (1999) and claiming that the mineral was confirmed by XRD, although no details are provided (www.mindat.org; accessed October 2022).

Finally, it is noted that specimens of rhodochrosite from other localities in southern Africa have sometimes been mis-attributed to Tsumeb.

With these issues in mind, questionable status is retained for the occurrence of rhodochrosite at Tsumeb pending a reliable confirmation on material of unequivocal provenance.

chalcocite (?); galena (?); tsumcorite (?); wulfenite (?)