Zoisite var: Tanzanite

Item Description

Tanzanite crystals come from only place in the world, the Merelani Hills of Tanzania. It is not a species, but rather the blue-purple variety of Zoisite. Tanzanite gets is color from the presence of vanadium, otherwise the crystals would be more of a green shade, like most other Zoisites. Here we have a beautiful crystal showing decent pleochroism with a blue color on the "a" axis, and when you turn the crystal 90 degree and look through the "b" axis, you'll see a purple color. There are few minerals that display multi-color pleochroism like Tanzanite, and this piece is a great example of said material. The crystal has a sharp, lustrous termination and good internal gemminess when backlit.
From the collection of John Whatley, a well-known Georgia collector (1939-2022). John had many interests and hobbies, and favorite hobby was collecting rocks and minerals. He was a member of the Augusta and Aiken, SC Gem and Mineral Society. He also enjoyed collecting arrowheads and he co-authored the book, An Overview of Georgia Projectile Points and Select Cutting Tools. He was a member of the Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama Archaeology Societies and he also enjoyed volunteering in the Archaeology Department at SRS.
You can read more about John at: https://www.thomaspoteet.com/obituaries/john-whatley