Look under “rhodonite” instead and you’ll find a lot of information
in books. It is usually an opaque massive pink/black decorative
stone used to make book-ends and other large pieces, but some is
suitable for cutting into smaller gems. Spectacular material from
Australia with vivid fuchsia to hot pink patterns against a dead
black background was briefly on the market years ago, but various
grades come from many locations. Some occurrences have pink material
without black, and transparent crystals can be faceted as collector
stones. Translucent rhodonite is cut into beads and cabochons.
Rhodonite is manganese silicate. Because it is very tough and has
attractive patterns it is often used in carvings. In Germany it is
also used extensively in making hinged boxes, with thin slabs of
rhodonite overlying white marble. A well-known northern California
location for rhodonite is Jenney Creek near Hornbrook off Highway 5.
The creek is a tributary of the Klamath River.