Dioptase (uncommon locality specimen)

Item Description

Morenci is a large open pit locality, and is what could be called a "newer" mine, as it started production in 1942, where many other classic Arizona locales date back to the late 1800s. I will say that is notably difficult to fine specimens of Dioptase from Morenci these days. This specimen was labeled as coming from the Metcalf Mine, a former name for the Morenci Mine. I've only handled a few of them over the years, and this piece is certainly a good example of this rarely seen material. This small cabinet specimen is just filled with dozens upon dozens of strong emerald-green, gemmy/translucent, sparkling, thin, prismatic crystals of Dioptase which are sprinkled on a layer drusy white Quartz, coating pale blue-green Chrysocolla on host rock matrix. When you think of all the classic secondary ore minerals in the world, Dioptase is certainly one of the first that comes to mind, but you rarely seen them from Arizona. This piece is a true Arizona classic, and it just happens to be a very colorful, showy piece of this highly sought after material from south-eastern Arizona (near the New Mexico border).
This piece was originally in the collection of Dr. William F. Tatu, a radiologist from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Ex George Loud Collection No. 383 AZ.6; 8212. George (born August 16, 1942) is a well-known mineral collector from Washington, DC and South Carolina respectively, and was a patent lawyer by trade for over 50 years. He assembled one of the great mineral collections in the U.S., comprising worldwide specimens, and in later years he sold the worldwide specimens to focus on minerals of the United States, specifically locality suites with an emphasis on amazing representation of species while still maintaining fine quality. The specimens remarkably range from micros to all the way up to large cabinets in size. We recently acquired most of his impressive 9000+ piece collection, and the VAST majority of these pieces will be offered here in the auctions, as we feel that everyone deserves and equal opportunity at acquiring these important, well-documented and fine quality specimens for their collections.
See: https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/george-loud for more information