Detailed Description
This miniature features sharp, lustrous dioptase crystals with a lot of colour and sparkle for a great price. The dioptase crystals have great internal play of light. In excellent overall condition, with a couple of missing crystals and a nick. The piece sits nicely, having been trimmed on the backside using a saw. This one glows vibrantly under the lights.
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About These Dioptase Specimens
Dioptase was first described from Altyn Tyube, the type locality for dioptase, in the nineteenth century. Altyn Tyube is a remarkable deposit in the Steppes, far from everywhere. It was first worked for copper thousands of years B.C., and it is interesting to note that there are very few copper minerals at the locality – dioptase with occasional minor malachite and cuprite. These beautiful specimens are contemporary, acquired from the team currently conducting specimen mining at Altyn Tyube.