Jeremejevite from Ameib Farm 60, Erongo Region, Namibia

Jeremejevite, an aluminium borate fluoride hydroxide, is one of the rarest gem mineral species. Known since 1883 from the Adun-Chalon range in Russia, two localities in Namibia have, since the 1970s, produced the world's finest specimens, usually as small, matrixless individual crystals. One of these, Ameib Farm in Karibib District, Erongo Region, Namibia produced exceptional deep blue crystals in about 2010. This miniature specimen is remarkable in many ways. Firstly, the Jeremejevite crystal is a collosal 3 cm in length. Not only that, but it has the richest cornflower blue colour that you could wish for in a Jeremejevite. However, above all of these is the fact that it is on matrix, something which is so rarely seen. This matrix is Foitite, a finely crystallized form of Tourmaline and it wraps itself nicely around the gemmy blue Jeremejevite crystal. From the outstanding systematic species collection assembled in Germany by brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).