Dioptase (unusual form) (2019 find)

Item Description

First off, I would like to point out that these specimens were initially reported as coming from the Mpita Mine, but we have subsequently been informed that they are actually from the Ntola Mine. The discovery took place in January of 2019, and produced some of the most distinctive examples of Dioptase from any locality in Republic of the Congo. Despite the fact that Dioptase is one of the more popular species among collectors, there aren't that many world localities that produce excellent specimens. This specimen is notably different from many of the others we've seen in the past as it feature somewhat spherical / "bubbly" hollow forms ("casts") of Dioptase which might have formed after a botryoidal mineral like Chrysocolla or Shattuckite (some have suggested it could be spherical Calcite or Aragonite), or it could be the result of a gas bubble that was crystallized on the exterior. The surface of these "bubbles" piece feature many tiny, sharp, lustrous, rich emerald green trigonal Dioptase crystals, but they are clearly concave underneath as seen in a few of the contacted / exposed "balls". I had a lot of fun looking at this piece under the microscope, and we have photographed it with a CANON MP-E 65 mm macro lens to better illustrate the quality. A desirable and eye-catching specimen from this exciting discovery. It should be noted that no more of these pieces have been found since the initial find.