Specifications
Description
Locality: Renéville Mine, Kindamba District, 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 Kindamba District of 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 one of a kind dioptase specimen has a more cavernous, pocketed look than the tighter crystal clusters, with rich blue-green crystal growth spread across a dark natural matrix. Instead of broad isolated crystals dominating the piece, this specimen shows layers of smaller intergrown crystals lining recesses and coating uneven surfaces, giving it a textured, almost frosted appearance in some areas and brighter glassy flashes in others. The shape is irregular and sculptural, with visible voids and pockets that make it feel very natural and untouched. It has strong display character for anyone who likes specimens that look straight from the vein rather than overly clean or symmetrical.
Dioptase is often associated with emotional clearing, honesty, and moving forward after heaviness. Many people are drawn to it when they want clarity but also want to stay grounded in reality. Pieces like this, with their deep pockets and layered growth, are often appreciated for their feeling of depth, renewal, and quiet strength.
Chemical Composition: CuSiO3·H2O
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.