PRODUCT INFORMATION

IS THIS THE LARGEST DIOPTASE SPECIMEN EVERY MINED? 

General Description

Dioptase is an exceptionally rare mineral species. Dioptase is world renowned for its bright emerald green crystals. The crystals often form in glistening drusy/sugary, classic cubic, or the rare prismatic forms. The specimen shown in the photograph could potentially be the largest dioptase specimen ever mined in Africa? The specimen has stunning Shiny Emerald Green Crystal. This is certainly the largest known dioptase specimen mined in many decades! but is it the largest of all time, or largest dioptase specimen known from across the globe?? Absolutely something worth putting into a museum! Absolutely breath taking and world class. Deserving of a prime spot in any mineral museum! They simply do NOT come bigger or better! Exceptional! Price is grade dependant. Items are as shown.

DIOPTASE FROM CONGO 

Brazzaville in 2019 yielded some of the best Museum quality gemmy crystalline Dioptase specimens seen in many decades. A handful of the specimens were  associated with bright gemmy yellow Mimetite crystals and / or botryoidal hollow domes of Dioptase. This was a small pocket which only yielded a handful of specimens. 

Subsequently, material form Tantara started to appear around 2020. However, the two deposits are fundamentally different. The crystals from Tantara tend to be less gemmy but still breath taking bright emerald green! They range from microcrystalline drusy style, to much larger more distinctive cubic crystals in complex and dense clusters.  

One thing both of these deposits (Brazzaville & Tantara) had in common was the sheer size of the specimens mined. Rule of thumb with dioptase from anywhere in the world, is that, you're lucky to own a small one. Tantara has certainly produced some of the largest crystalline dioptase specimens known from Africa in the last 35 years. Specimens from this mine are even bigger than anything which came out of Tsumeb, Namibia. 

More collector and museum grade specimens of Dioptase have been found in Africa in the last five years than in the previous two decades, and potentially kg for kg......in the history of dioptase mining in Southern Africa. 

The specimen on sale here is potentially the largest dioptase specimen ever mined.

Product Data

Locality = Tantara, Shinkolobwe, Kambove & Katanga, Congo
Grade = Very Very Very Good Grade
Size = 420 x 222 x 145 mm | 16.5 x 8.7 x 5.7 inch
Net Weight = 15.4 Kg | 33.8 Lbs
Product Type = Decor Item