Dioptase Specimen 37mm — Tsumeb Emerald Green Crystal

Several well-developed crystals rise cleanly from the matrix on this Dioptase Specimen, their deep emerald colour and prismatic faces catching light with a jewel-like sparkle despite the piece's compact size. It comes from the Tsumeb Mine in Namibia's Otjikoto region, widely considered one of the greatest mineral localities in the world.

So what makes Tsumeb dioptase so significant? The mine's complex copper deposits produced some of the finest dioptase crystals ever discovered, and this specimen was mined during the 1998 to 2006 period, part of the final chapter of production before the locality closed. That closure makes authentic Tsumeb pieces increasingly desirable, since the source itself no longer exists.

A closer look

A fact worth knowing about the colour itself is that dioptase's intense emerald green comes from its copper-rich composition, the same element responsible for the vivid tones in stones like malachite and turquoise. In metaphysical traditions, that rich green is associated with emotional clarity and heart-centred awareness, and many collectors value the mineral as much for its calming visual presence as for its geological rarity.

• Stone: Dioptase
• Form & size: Crystals on matrix, approx. 37mm wide, 16mm high
• Weight: 11.8g
• Locality: Tsumeb Mine, Namibia (mined 1998-2006)

Living with your specimen

Its compact footprint suits a mineral cabinet, bookshelf, or curated display space, where its bold colour reads as a jewel-like highlight. Handle it gently, since dioptase can be brittle, and clean it only with a soft dry cloth. A specimen like this suits serious mineral collectors as much as anyone drawn to its vivid, jewel-like colour for its own sake, a small but genuinely rare piece of a mine that no longer exists.

Please note: crystals are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Keep small pieces away from young children.