Obtained at Munich 2022
A gem-quality Zoisite crystal (tanzanite variety) with Graphite inclusions, well-defined faces and edges, transparent, and with an intense blue color with violet shades. The transition between the dichroic tones of the crystal indicates that it has not undergone heat treatment.
Merelani Hills is a mining area located in the Lelatema Mountains. It is one of the most important localities in the world for the tanzanite variety of Zoisite, discovered in 1967 and mined in several blocks that have produced high-quality gem specimens.
From a geological point of view, the area belongs to the Mozambique metamorphic belt, characterized by high-grade metamorphic rocks such as gneisses and schists. Tanzanite forms under high-temperature regional metamorphic conditions, in veins and reaction zones rich in Ca, Al and V, the latter being responsible for its characteristic blue-violet color. The mineralization is associated with complex metamorphic processes with fluid influence, which favored crystallization in localized zones within the mountain range.
Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region Tanzania (2019-2022)
Specimen size: 4 × 1.9 × 0.8 cm = 1.57” × 0.75” × 0.31”
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