It is very hard to get-and very messy to cut!
This famous Psilomelane is from the Crown of Silver Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico.
This wonderful gemstone cabochon material (pronounced si-lah'-mi-lane) is a type of manganese silicate. Crown of Silver Psilomelane is manganese oxide in cryptocrystalline quartz.
The name Psilomelane comes from the Greek (psilos) meaning "smooth", and (melas) meaning "black".
These Crown of Silver Psilomelane designer cabochons are shiny metallic black with silver banding, eyes and swirls
The Crown of Silver Mine was opened in 1940 for the war effort and was closed in 1947. In the 1950's the mine was reportedly worked by old Mexican miners for the lapidary market before it became unsafe to enter the mine. It was pilfered for a few years and then reopened in 2003, but I understand it was forced to be closed from too many cave ins. Rumor has it, it has been bought and reopened recently!
Psilomelane is said to help one understand and change the ingrained patterns that rule our emotions and our vision of what is possible.