A dramatic example of a rare style of rhodochrosite found circa 1978-1980, in the manganese fields of the Kalahari. At the time, these electrified the mineral world and there was a literal stampede of dealers looking to buy them and bring back to the USA. Some got away, some went to Europe. This piece is particularly unusual for the stepped, mushroom like growth hillocks of layered rhodochrosite, much like shields stacked one upon the other. These clusters reach 2 cm or more in size and sit atop a massive manganite ore matrix in the middle, which gives it dimensionality. Such specimens now only recycle to the market generationally, as the larger collections built in the late 1900s come up for sale. Although not the most common, or famous style, that perhaps makes this more interesting as it is certainly more uncommon.