{"product_id":"dioptase-27","title":"DIOPTASE","description":"Dioptase, a copper silicate species, is generally very rare in secondary copper deposits worldwide, but there are a number of exceptions, where it crystallizes as very  well-formed glassy emerald-green crystals. Its Type Locality at Altyn-Tube in Kazakhstan is one such case, but there are several well-known deposits in Africa too, of which the famous Tsumeb mine is the best-known. In the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), near Renéville incredibly rich, pure veins and nodules of Dioptase are lined with very well-crystallized glassy emerald-green Dioptase crystals. Generally speaking, the Dioptase crystals from Renéville are not quite as gemmy as those from Tsumeb, but for sheer wow-factor the richness of Renéville specimens is hard to beat. At 15 cm in length this is a really dramatic large display specimen and represents a lot of Dioptase for the price, with individual crystals reaching 7 mm in length and showing the classic rhombic prism form. The back of this plate of Dioptase is a complex series of hollow casts after an unknown mineral with massive to botryoidal pale blue Chrysocolla coating the inside of the casts. Ex Kessler Collection.","brand":"Crystal Classics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57781475148111,"sku":"CC55908","price":296.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1011\/3748\/2063\/files\/CC55908_7d1a5d5b-5cdf-4963-91a3-31c848c60fbb.jpg?v=1783990344","url":"https:\/\/crystalclassics.co.uk\/products\/dioptase-27","provider":"Crystal Classics UK","version":"1.0","type":"link"}