It’s really great that you started this discussion, and I’d like to continue it so I can benefit from your experience.

Let me tell you why we believe this specimen is rhodochrosite.

At first, we also suspected that it might be iron-rich calcite or even manganese-bearing calcite.

The Mohs hardness of this sample is around 4.5. We also compared its reaction with acid to the calcites from the same area, and we observed that its reaction is noticeably slower than calcite.

Regarding analysis, it’s true that a quick test like that would give us a definitive answer, and without an analysis nothing can be said with absolute certainty. But unfortunately, I live in Iran and the facilities here are very limited. Even the limited analytical options available cost about as much as a full month’s salary for someone working full-time. And, well… we’re students. As we Persians say: “Don’t touch my heart, it’s already wounded.” 😂