Dioptase

Item Description

From a fine in January of 2019, here is a great display quality piece from the now well-known Mpita Mine located on the railroad between Lutete and Mindouli in Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville). Dioptase is almost universally loved, but one problem with the species is that there aren't too many world localities that produce excellent specimens. The pieces came to us from a good friend who collected everything personally. This specimen is a classic example of this well-known material featuring very sharp, highly lustrous, well-formed, prismatic trigonal crystals of eye-catching emerald green Dioptase measuring up to 1.0 cm long sitting on oxidized host rock matrix. The crystals GLOW with color when backlit, and many of them are quite gemmy as you can see. If you look closely at the base of the Dioptase crystals, you will see tiny sparkling colorless Quartz crystals, some of which have a slight blue tint from presumably a copper silicate species like Chrysocolla, Plancheite or Shattuckite. When you consider the high prices being paid for Tsumeb Dioptase specimens today, this piece is a great bargain by comparison and still has a reminiscent "Tsumeb"-esque quality to it. Priced in the inventory at $800.