Dioptase cast after Dolomite with Wulfenite - image 1

Dioptase cast after Dolomite with Wulfenite - image 2

Dioptase cast after Dolomite with Wulfenite

$7,500.00

Free shipping
Seller offers an extended return window of up to 30 days
Ships from USA

T

The ArkenstoneFeatured

3,403 for sale·Member since 2026

This is a highly unusual and sculptural Dioptase piece featuring a cast of Dioptase after botryoids of a previous and now exsolved mineral, maybe Dolomite? The interior of this attractive cast is lined with small, scintillating crystals of emerald green Dioptase that sparkle with any amount of ambient lighting at any orientation, like sugar! There are several, lustrous, elongate, 2 to 6 mm, orangish, Wulfenite crystals scattered about the interiors of the cast and a couple around the periphery. The backside has brownish Goethite staining and a dozen or so 2 to 3 mm, somewhat dull orange Wulfenite crystals. Casts of secondary minerals are not uncommon from this locality but those with Dioptase, especially as attractive as this, are very rare! Many of them went to the jewelry trade already, butchered into pieces for drusy sparkly material for pendants and the like. Interestingly, this seemed to form as a cast, perhaps over "bubbles" or aragonite or calcite that later dissolved away, and we have never seen dioptase like this...This was a unique find in the history of dioptase, seemingly now done. This was said to come out in 2018-19. For a small cabinet sized example of the find, it is one of the more dramatic amongst smaller examples or others without the high luster.