Sugilite
specimen number:
2262216
location:
Kalahari Mn Fields, South Africa
description: The Kalahari Manganese Field, situated near Hotazel in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, is the premier global locality for the rare purple lithium iron manganese silicate known as sugilite. Geologically, this deposit is hosted within the Paleoproterozoic Hotazel Formation, a massive, stratiform manganese deposit that underwent localized hydrothermal alteration and alkali metasomatism roughly 1.3 billion years ago. Sugilite occurs in dense, fine-grained stratabound layers, veins, and occasional crystal pockets within the silicate-rich zones of the laminated manganese ore body, typically associated with richterite, pectolite, and braunite. Historically, while the district was first explored for manganese in the early 20th century, the major gem-grade sugilite deposit was discovered in 1973 at the Wessels mine during routine underground operations. Formal mining and quarrying of the sugilite seams occurred intermittently as a byproduct of heavy industrial manganese extraction from the mid-1970s through the 1990s, with a significant surge in specimen and lapidary production during the 1980s when the material was marketed internationally as royal lazul. Though the highest-grade pockets have been largely depleted, underground extraction at the Wessels and NChwaning mines continues through 2026, and the locality remains the undisputed benchmark for the world's finest deep-purple and magenta sugilite specimens.
Purple fibrous crystallized across the top of matrix. Good example for the species. In good condition.
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