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Home > Kalahari Manganese Field – March 18 > MS0898 Braunite

Braunite - Sold

• N'Chwaning II mine
• Kalahari Manganese Field
• Northern Cape Province
• South Africa

• 5.7 by 4.7 by 2.9 cm – Small cabinet specimen (under 10 cm)

Braunite is a manganese oxide silicate mineral with tetragonal symmetry. Haidinger (1828) named the mineral after Kammerrath Braun of Gotha, Germany. Moore & Araki (1976) studied braunite, confirmed its tetragonal symmetry, and detailed its relationship with bixbyite. This specimen features pyramidal black crystals to 7 mm, interspersed within massive calcite. Etching of the calcite may reveal more fine braunite crystals, but its presence does provide some contrast.