Dioptase (new find!)

Item Description

Here we have the latest from the Mpita Mine, a brand new find in January of 2019. Most collectors love Dioptase, but there aren't that many world localities that produce excellent specimens. Earlier this year we were fortunate to purchase a small parcel of brand new specimens this now well-known mine near the small village of Kimbedi located on the railroad between Lutete and Mindouli in Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville). These new specimens are somewhat different from many of the specimens we've seen in the past as they features beautiful semi-parallel growth clusters of Dioptase sprinkled over the matrix. Some of the clusters are fairly isolated, given them good separation than most of the Mpita Dioptases. For a quick glance, one can see this as a Tsumeb specimen, because the Dioptase crystals are sitting on small silvery-white colored rhombic Calcite, but after looking closely, you can see it has its own distinctive appearance. The color of the crystals shows that classic emerald green hue, and they are highly lustrous with prismatic trigonal form. With some magnification, one can see small brilliant orange-yellow crystals of Wulfenite. We used a Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens to take some micro photo to better illustrate the quality of the little Wulfenites, and you can see that they are actually pyramidal in habit, which is unusual for the locality. The contrast between the Dioptase and the Wulfenites is wonderful, reminiscent of pieces from Tiger, Arizona. We also found a few olive-green colored spherical groups of what might be Mottramite. Looking closely, nearly all of the crystals are in great shape, with only a few small nicks, but the piece is in great shape overall. Considering the prices paid for Tsumeb specimens, you can pick up this almost "Tsumeb"-quality, attractive specimen for a great price.