I got a crystal and I don’t know what it’s called. I thought of this: http://images-of-elements.com/manganese-dendrites.jpg but I don’t think it is. It is white, and in it are black crystals in the shape of a fern. The black looks like charcoal, because if you rub it some powder comes off.
Asker: Luke, 13 years old
Answer
Hi Luke,
It seems to me to be a quartz vein with those black minerals in it. Manganese threes usually occur as a coating on surfaces in rocks, so this does not seem to be the case in your handpiece. If it’s a soft black material that comes off easily, you might also consider graphite.
Answered by
Dr Stijn Dewaele
economic geology – ore deposits – geochemistry – mineralogy – Central Africa
Royal Museum for Central Africa
Leuvensesteenweg 13 3080Tervuren
http://www.africamuseum.be
Leuvensesteenweg 13 3080Tervuren
http://www.africamuseum.be
.