1" Sparkling Dioptase Epimorph with Mimetite- N'tola Mine, Congo

Sparkling Dioptase Epimorph with Mimetite- N'tola Mine, Congo #209668

This is a beautiful epimorph (dioptase cast) formed from sparkling dioptase crystals, collected from the N'tola Mine of the Republic of the Congo. These epimorphs occur as dioptase forms over an unidentified, botryoidal mineral, likely being plancheite or shattuckite. This mine has been closed since 2019, so this material is old stock. The entire specimen is 1" wide, and the dioptase is a lustrous, emerald-green color and formed in association with mimetite.

It has been mounted to an acrylic display base with mineral tack.

Dioptase is an uncommon mineral, found mostly in desert regions where it forms as a secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of copper sulfide mineral deposits. This copper-based mineral forms small rhombohedral crystals, typically less than 0.75 centimeters in length. It is popular with mineral collectors due to its vibrant color and it is occasionally cut into small emerald-like gems.

Mimetite is a lead chloro-arsenate mineral with the chemical formula of Pb5(AsO4)3Cl. Depending on conditions during formation/replacement, arsenate radicals (As04) can be replaced by a phosphate (PO4) or vanadate (VO4) radical. This alteration is what leads to the formation of pyromorphite and vanadinite, hence why they are typically found associated with each other. Often red to yellow in color, mimetite can occur in a variety of structures, from small prismatic clusters and crusts to incredible hexagonal crystals both thick and thin.

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