Manganocalcite - Huaron Mine, Peru

Contributed by: Chris Clemens
minID: DJF-KC3
Date: Apr 27th, 2026
Locality: Huarón mine, Huarón mining district, Huayllay district, Pasco province, Pasco, Peru (See on Mindat)
Size: 6.5 x 3 x 8.1 cm
Weight: 206 g

Description:
This is a unique mixed-mineral specimen, that due to its manganocalcite content, is of interest as a fluorescent specimen. It consists of white to light pink nodular growths of small intergrown scalenohedral crystals of manganocalcite on a bed of pyrite and large tetrahedrite crystals, with small clusters of quartz crystals. It is from the Huaron Mine, Pasco department, Peru. The manganocalcite shows an orange/red fluorescent response under all UV wavelengths, brightest under midwave UV.

Manganocalcite is a variety of calcite in which manganese replaces some of the calcium in the crystal structure and imparts the property of beautiful orange to pink fluorescence under UV.

Originally posted by Chris Clemens on Nature's Rainbows in 2017.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light.

Normal light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Calcite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

• Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Red