Rutile

specimen number:
9711756

location:
Merelani Hills, Simanjiro, Manyara, Tanzania

description:
Loose lustrous terminated crystal grouping of rutile. In good condition.

The Merelani Hills in Simanjiro, Manyara, Tanzania, form a renowned mineral district that was discovered in 1967 and remains actively mined today rather than having a fixed closing date. Geologically, the area is situated within the Mozambique Belt and consists of a narrow sequence of Proterozoic graphite-rich gneisses, schists, marbles, and calc-silicate rocks that underwent high-grade metamorphism and subsequent structural deformation during the East African Orogeny. This unique environment supports various accessory minerals, including occasional occurrences of accessory rutile within the complex metamorphic rock assemblage.

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