Tower Mine Minerals: Manganese Oxides, Calcite & the Luis Lopez District

The Tower Mine in the Luis Lopez Manganese District of Socorro County, New Mexico, produces locality material that is especially interesting because dark manganese oxides are often paired with contrasting calcite or other pale crystals.

Why the matrix matters

Manganese-oxide material can include minerals from the psilomelane group as well as cryptomelane, hollandite, romanechite and related phases. These often create dark, earthy to metallic surfaces that make pale calcite stand out dramatically.

Examples from our catalog

Our current Tower Mine collection includes a 1.2 oz manganese-oxide specimen with calcite, a 1.1 oz piece with pink calcite/barite crystals, and a larger 3.5 oz calcite-on-manganese specimen.

Browse the Tower Mine mineral specimens collection to compare the textures and associations.

What collectors look for

Strong mineral contrast, intact crystals, locality confidence, unusual manganese textures and aesthetically balanced matrix all contribute to collector appeal.