Dioptase

specimen number:
2072209

location:
Tsumeb Mine, Otjikoto, Namibia

description:
Lustrous crystals of emerald green dioptase to 1.0 cm in size on matrix. Minimal damage present, still very nice.

The Tsumeb Mine, located in the Otavi Mountainland of northern Namibia, is widely considered the most significant mineral locality in history due to its incredible diversity of over 300 species. Geologically, it is a pipe-like polymetallic deposit hosted within Neoproterozoic carbonate rocks, specifically the Otavi Group dolostones, where mineralization occurred through the replacement of karst structures by hydrothermal fluids. The site is famous for its three oxidation zones, which produced world-class specimens of dioptase, azurite, cerussite, and many rare secondary arsenates. Historically, while indigenous people had smelted surface copper for centuries, industrial mining began in 1900 under the Otavi Minen- und Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft. The mine operated almost continuously for nearly a century, through various owners including Tsumeb Corporation Limited, before finally closing in 1996 due to the depletion of economically viable ore at depth and rising operational costs. Today, the Tsumeb Mine remains a legendary name in mineralogy, with its deep shafts and massive slag heaps serving as landmarks of a bygone era of intensive underground mining.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.