Dumortierite

specimen number:
2072380

location:
Etemba Farm 135, Erongo, Namibia

description:
A cut and polished section showing blue masses of dumortierite throughout matrix. At one time the specimen was part of the collection of Renaud Vochten of Antwerp, Belgium.

The Etemba Farm 135, located in the Erongo Region of Namibia near the Omaruru River, is situated within the Northern Zone of the Damara Orogenic Belt. Geologically, the area is characterized by high-grade metamorphic rocks and granitic intrusions where boron-rich hydrothermal fluids interacted with aluminous host rocks to form deposits of dumortierite. This mineral occurs here as striking fibrous aggregates and massive inclusions within quartz, typically exhibiting a vibrant royal blue to violet-blue color. Historically, mining and quarrying at Etemba Farm have been conducted on a relatively small or artisanal scale, with sporadic activity focusing on the extraction of ornamental stone and mineral specimens throughout the late 20th century. The site gained particular attention in the mineralogical community during the 1990s and early 2000s for producing some of the finest blue dumortierite-in-quartz specimens in Africa. As of 2026, the locality remains a noted spot for collectors, and while it is not a major industrial mining center, it continues to be recognized for the high aesthetic quality and intense coloration of its borosilicate minerals.

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