KUTNAHORITE

    Class : Carbonates, Nitrates, Borates
    Subclass : Anhydrous Carbonates
    Crystal System : Trigonal
    Chemistry : CaMn(CO3)2
    Rarity : Quite rare

Kutnahorite (or kutnohorite) is a rare carbonate which was first described in the Czech Republic at Kutna Hora by the mineralogist Bukovsky A. It is this type-locality that gave it its name. Colors vary from white to pink but it can also sometimes be yellow to brown. The crystals often occur in rounded granular masses, sometimes in fan, but rarely in single crystals. It is a hydrothermal mineral from low to medium temperature, it is often associated with other carbonates such as dolomite or ankerite with which it forms series. It is a mineral that is not used in any particular area, specimens are only for collection.

Main photo : Kutnahorite de Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Afrique du Sud

Kutnohorite in the World

The most famous locality is the Czech Republic, but the large zinciferous deposits of Franklin and Sterling Hill (New Jersey), Broken Hill (Australia), and the Mexican gold and silver deposit of Providencia (Zacatecas) have produced good specimens. Finally, it should be noted that the world's best specimens are from the Wessel Manganese Mine in South Africa, which supplied aggregates larger than 20 cm with crystals sometimes exceeding 5 cm in size.

Kutnohorite in France

Kutnohorite was reported at Saphoz in Haute-Saône, the largest Vosgian manganese deposit.

Twinning

Kutnohorite has no twinned crystals known.

Fakes and treatments

No scam known for this mineral.


Hardness : 3,5 à 4
Density : 3,12
Fracture : Sub-conchoidal
Streak : White


TP : Opaque to transparent
RI : 1,535 à 1,727
Birefringence : 0,192
Optical character : Uniaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : Sometimes red (SW-UV)

Solubility : Acids

Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None

ReCaptcha

This service is used to secure web forms of our website and required if you want to contact us. By accepting it you agree to Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a service used on our website that tracks, reports traffic and measures how users interact with our website content in order for us to improve it and provide better services.

Facebook

Our website allows you to like or share its content on Facebook social network. By activating and using it you agree to Facebook's privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy/cookies/

YouTube

Integrated videos provided by YouTube are used on our website. By accepting to watch them you agree to Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Twitter

Integrated tweets and share services of Twitter are used on our website. By accepting and using these you agree to Twitter's privacy policy: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/twitter-cookies

PInterest

Our website allows you to share its content on PInterest social network. By activating and using it you agree to PInterest's privacy policy: https://policy.pinterest.com/en/privacy-policy/