Description

Dioptase Crystals

Dioptase has a trigonal crystal system and is in the mineral class of Ring Silicates. Its coloring is generally a dark green.

There is a jewelry quality gem that comes from Nambia which leans to a bluer shade of green. It is quite beautiful and very expensive. It also exhibits much larger crystals than what are generally found in the US and Russia.

Dioptase is formed in a sedimentary process from silicic acid solutions that contain copper. It is generally found in clefts of limestone or sandstone. It is also found in the oxidation zone of copper ore deposits. As you can see from the photo, some have small crystals trapped in a sandstone base while others are larger crystals surrounded by the same type of base.

If you decided to carry a piece in your pocket, you may have a pocket full of green speckled sand at days end from the constant jostling it would undergo. While it’s not so fragile that it would fall apart in handling, you do need to consider this carrying one with you.