Dioptase with Mimetite

Item Description

This small cabinet sized piece is from a discovery in January of 2019. I would like to say that they were originally reported as coming from the Mpita Mine, but they are indeed from Ntola. Dioptase has such a beautiful color, and it's really a rare species, but the one problem is that there aren't too many world localities that produce excellent crystallized display specimens. Obviously Tsumeb is the world's greatest locality for the species, but it's been decades since anything has been found, so any time a new locality produces anything of note, it gets attention. These pieces from Republic of Congo are great modern examples, and this piece is filled with excellent, highly lustrous, deep emerald green trigonal crystals on matrix. Upon close inpsection, you can a see a few rich yellow-orange colored crystals of Mimetite, a rare association, not just for this locality, but for Dioptase in generla. The crystals are best seen under magnification, but they look good up close. We all know that the prices for Tsumeb Dioptase specimens are on the rise, but you can pick up this attractive "Tsumeb-esque" specimen for a great price, with an association that is rarely seen around the world.