{"title":"Dioptase","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDioptase\u003c\/strong\u003e is a hydrous copper cyclosilicate (CuSiO₃·H₂O) famed for its intense, saturated emerald-green color, which has earned it the nickname \"emerald copper\" or \"copper emerald.\" First described in 1797 from the Kirghiz Steppes, the mineral takes its name from the Greek for \"through\" and \"to see,\" a reference to the way internal cleavage planes can be glimpsed inside transparent crystals. It crystallizes in the trigonal system, typically as short, glassy rhombohedral or prismatic crystals with vitreous luster, and forms as a secondary mineral in the oxidized zones of copper deposits, commonly alongside \u003cstrong\u003emalachite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003echrysocolla\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eazurite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ecalcite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eshattuckite\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003ewulfenite\u003c\/strong\u003e. With a hardness of only 5 and perfect cleavage, gem-quality faceted stones are rare and small, making fine crystallized specimens the primary object of collector interest rather than cut gems.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe type locality, \u003cstrong\u003eAltyn-Tyube\u003c\/strong\u003e in the Karaganda Region of Kazakhstan, remains historically important and still yields bright, elongated emerald crystals on matrix. The legendary \u003cstrong\u003eTsumeb Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Namibia produced what many consider the finest dioptase ever found: large, lustrous, doubly-terminated crystals perched on snow-white calcite, a combination widely regarded as one of the most desirable pairings in the mineral world. Namibia's \u003cstrong\u003eKaokoveld Plateau\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eOmaue Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in the Kunene Region have also supplied superb crystals on quartz and in association with malachite. Central Africa is another classic source: the \u003cstrong\u003eMindouli\u003c\/strong\u003e mining district in the Republic of Congo, including the \u003cstrong\u003eKimbedi\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eNtola Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e localities, along with the \u003cstrong\u003eKatanga\u003c\/strong\u003e copperbelt of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has produced deep-green crystals lining chrysocolla-filled geodes and combined with mimetite. In the United States, dioptase occurs in Arizona's \u003cstrong\u003eMammoth-Saint Anthony Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e and the \u003cstrong\u003eRay Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Pinal County, occasionally with wulfenite, while notable occurrences are also recorded in Angola, Chile, Argentina, and Romania.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollectors prize dioptase for a color rivaling fine emerald combined with a rarity that keeps top specimens highly sought after; unlike common copper secondary minerals such as malachite and azurite, gem-grade dioptase crystals of good size and clarity are genuinely scarce. Micromount and thumbnail specimens showing sharp crystal faces and internal transparency are especially valued, and pieces pairing dioptase with white calcite, chrysocolla, or shattuckite matrix are considered classic showpieces from Tsumeb and the Congo. Its pyroelectric behavior, generating a charge under temperature change, adds a further point of scientific interest for advanced collectors and mineralogists alike.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"dioptase-with-shattuckite-crystals-tsumeb-namibia","title":"DIOPTASE, SHATTUCKITE \u0026 PLANCHEITE – Vivid Green Crystals, Tsumeb Mine, Namibia","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking collector specimen combining vivid emerald-green Dioptase crystals with contrasting sprays of blue Shattuckite and Plancheite, recovered from the world-famous Tsumeb Mine in Namibia. The vibrant color contrast between the copper-green Dioptase and the deep blue silicate matrix makes this a visually powerful and mineralogically important piece, sourced from a locality that has been closed since 1996 and is no longer actively worked for ore.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 46 x 45 x 34 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45609869836397,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/IMG20260531174055.jpg?v=1786529242"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/dioptase.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}