About The Kalahari Manganese fields, mineral specimens

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South of the Kalahari Desert on the seemingly endless, hot and dust plains of the Northern Cape in South Africa is the Kalahari Manganese Field. Estimated to contain 14 billion tons of manganese this not only represents great economic wealth but also offers rich pickings to the mineral collector. One hundred and thirty-five minerals have been identified there since commencement of mining in the 1940s. Some of the most spectacular, world class, Rhodochrosite comes from the N’Chwaning II Mine near Kuruman and it has justifiably become a collectors favorite. The pieces you see here are from are from this location.