Manganite - Caland Pit, Atikokan, Ontario, Canada

A classic Canadian manganite specimen from the historic Caland Pit near Atikokan, Ontario. One face is densely covered with a uniform drusy coating of lustrous black manganite crystals, creating an attractive sparkling surface, while the reverse displays contrasting botryoidal mineralization.
The manganese deposits near Atikokan were strategically important during the Second World War, when ore from the district was added to iron ore shipped to the northern United States for wartime steel production. Mining ceased around 1979–1980, making well-crystallized manganite specimens from this locality increasingly historic Canadian mineral examples.
This specimen comes from a group acquired from a former mine engineer who had stored the material since the mine's closure. Previously unoffered for sale, it combines attractive crystallization with an interesting connection to the mining history of the Atikokan district.
From the Caland Pit, Schwenger Township, Atikokan, Ontario, Canada.

Mineral: Manganite
Locality: Caland Pit, Schwenger Township, Atikokan, Ontario, Canada
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Mineral Class: Oxides and Hydroxides
Provenance: Acquired from a former Caland Pit mine engineer; retained since the mine's closure
Dimensions: 6 × 8 cm