Zoisite var: Tanzanite with Graphite

Item Description

Here we have a beautiful thumbnail specimen of Tanzanite featuring a uniquely-terminated crystal with attached grey metallic Graphite. The termination is complete and undamaged, but has a notably modified shape, with varying levels of crystallization. I looked closely with a loupe and it's not broken, you can clearly see crystal faces all over the termination. The color on the broad face is purple, with a slight bluish tone that can be seen when the crystal is rotated 90 degrees, but because it's fairly thin, the blue color is not terribly strong. A lovely piece with a wonderfully distinctive termination. Tanzanites are some of the most well-known and desirable gem minerals in the world, only found in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania. Recent mining efforts have produced less material, as they have had to delve deeper underground to find more material, increasing costs and resulting in less profit, so the days of good Tanzanites could be dwindling.