Dioptase with Calcite

Item Description

Dioptase is one of those minerals whose color is almost singular. Nothing has quite the same intense emerald green hue (not even emerald when you think about it) as Dioptase. It is almost universally beloved by dealers and collectors, but the one problem with the species is that there aren't too many world localities that produce excellent specimens. Obviously Tsumeb is the world's greatest locality for the species, but it's been decades since anything has been found, so any time a new locality produces anything of note, it gets attention. This piece is from Republic of the Congo, where some of the best contemporary Dioptase specimens are being mined. It hosts many sharp, lustrous, well-formed, richly colored trigonal prisms measuring up to about 7 mm, sitting on white Calcite on a bit of matrix. The combo of Dioptase on Calcite is best-known from Tsumeb, but this is a close cousin in terms of paragenesis and form. Please note that there are some areas of damage on the piece, it's not pristine, but there are still many fine undamaged crystals that can be seen on multiple sides. We all know that the prices for Tsumeb Dioptase specimens are on the rise, but you can pick up this attractive "Tsumeb-esque" specimen for a great price. This piece is from a discovery in January of 2019. I will point out that these specimens were originally reported as coming from the Mpita Mine, but they are indeed from Ntola.