Where can you find dioptase?

Found in oxidixed copper deposits, Dioptase is a somewhat uncommon mineral that can be found in localities in Kazakhstan, Romania, the United States, Argentina, Chile, the Congo Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe, and many other min or localities.

What is dioptase worth?

What is dioptase worth? The worth and value of the stone will increase for specimens with more crystals and larger crystals… Since the stone is typically sold as a beautiful eye catching specimen you can expect a nice palm sized specimen with moderate sized crystals to run you upwards of $100 USD.

Why is dioptase expensive?

The largest, highest quality gems are often cut into gems, though they are rather fragile. Despite this, dioptase is very valuable due to its visual appeal and mimicry of emerald gemstones. Their color and shape have led to the adoption of the nicknames, “Emerald Copper” and “Emerald Malachite.”

Is dioptase a gemstone?

Dioptase is a brittle stone with perfect cleavage in three directions, meaning it can easily break in three specific orientations that are weakness planes in its atomic structure. Incipient cleavages – internal breakages in these three specific directions – are often visible in crystals and faceted stones.

Is dioptase rare or common?

Dioptase is an extremely rare Copper cyclosilicate mineral that crystallizes in small prismatic shards, as well as inclusions within Quartz. This mineral occurs around other copper bearing minerals such as Chrysocolla, Malachite and Shattuckite. It forms on copper veins that have been exposed to extensive oxidation.

Is dioptase a rock or mineral?

Additionally, dioptase is very fragile, and specimens must be handled with great care. It is a trigonal mineral, forming 6-sided crystals that are terminated by rhombohedra. It is popular with mineral collectors and is sometimes cut into small gems.

Is dioptase the same as diopside?

As nouns the difference between dioptase and diopside

is that dioptase is an intense emerald-green to bluish-green copper cyclosilicate mineral while diopside is (mineral) a monoclinic pyroxene mineral, a magnesium calcium silicate with the chemical formula ca]]mgsi2[[oxygen|o6, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.

How do you pronounce dioptase?

What is a chrysoprase stone?

Chrysoprase, chrysophrase or chrysoprasus is a gemstone variety of chalcedony (a cryptocrystalline form of silica) that contains small quantities of nickel. Its color is normally apple-green, but varies to deep green. The darker varieties of chrysoprase are also referred to as prase.

What is chromium diopside?

Chrome Diopside is the rare translucent variety of the gemstone-quality calcium magnesium silicate. This variety is chromium-rich causing the beautiful green coloration. Other impurities within the stone may cause different colors, including black and violet-blue.