Specifications
Descrizione
Mined from: Renéville Mine, Pool Department, Republic of the Congo
Description: Congo's dioptase has a long history in European collections. The mineral was first noted from "Gabon" in 1874. In 1890, crystals brought back by the explorer Thollon from the Mindouli mine, between Bouenza and Brazzaville, went on display at the Paris natural history museum, where they were said to rival the classic dioptase of Siberia.
Renéville, in the Pool Department of the Republic of the Congo, takes its name from René Petit-Jean, who directed the first mining work there for the Compagnie du Djoué around 1913. Its copper and lead ores are also the type locality of a rare mineral, fornacite.
Dioptase is a hydrated copper silicate. It forms near the surface, where weathering copper ores release copper that combines with silica, and the copper gives it its intense green colour.
This dioptase specimen from the Renéville Mine shows a classic botryoidal copper-rich matrix coated with dense clusters of deep green crystals lining a natural cavity. The outer surface has that velvety, granular look typical of oxidized copper minerals, while the interior opens into a pocket of well-formed, glassy dioptase crystals. The contrast between the rough exterior and the sharp, reflective crystal faces inside makes this a strong display piece, especially at this size.
Dioptase is often associated with emotional clarity and insight. It’s commonly chosen by people working through personal change or trying to gain a clearer understanding of situations, with its deep green color symbolically tied to renewal and perspective.
Chemical Composition: CuSiO3·H2O
Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.