Rhodonite was first discovered in the 1790’s in the Ural Mountains of Russia near Maloe Sidelnikovo, and was called orletz by the locals, Russian for “the Eagle Stone” because people began to notice eagles in the region often carried small pieces of the stone to their nests.

This mineral was officially named Rhodonite in 1819 by Christoph Friedrich Jasche, from the Greek rhodon, meaning “rose,” and refers to its characteristic pink color.

It is mined in many locations around the world, including Massachusetts, USA, where it was declared the official state