Kyanite

specimen number:
1713750

location:
Nani, Loliondo, Arusha, Tanzania

description:
An unusual orange translucent prismatic crystal of kyanite. In great condition.

Nani Hill, located near Loliondo in the Arusha Region of northern Tanzania, gained international fame in the late 2000s for its discovery of high-quality orange spessartine garnets and a globally unique occurrence of orange kyanite. Geologically, the site is part of the Mozambique Belt, a metamorphic complex characterized by Neoproterozoic schists and gneisses. The mineralization at Nani Hill occurs within highly weathered, decomposed pegmatites where pockets of bright, mandarin-orange garnets and unusual orange kyanite formed alongside smoky quartz. The orange color of the kyanite is particularly notable, as the mineral is typically blue or green; here, the color is caused by trace amounts of manganese within the crystal structure. Historically, the rush at Loliondo began in late 2007 and peaked in 2008, attracting thousands of local miners to the remote area near the Kenyan border. During this brief but intense period of operation, the site produced a significant volume of gem-quality material. While the initial surface deposits were rapidly depleted and the primary rush subsided by 2009, Nani Hill remains a classic locality for collectors, known for species with exceptional color that redefined the mineralogical understanding of the region.

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