Dioptase is a copper cyclosilicate mineral ranging in color from deep emerald green to bluish green.
It is not a common mineral and is found mostly in desert regions where it forms as a secondary mineral of copper sulfide deposits.
In the late 18th century, copper miners at the Altyn-Tyube mine in Kazakhstan accidentally stumbled upon this mineral, thinking they had found an emerald deposit. They sent the crystals to Moscow, Russia, for analysis, and discovered that they were not emeralds.
Subsequently, René Just Haüy, a famous French mineralogist, established in 1797 that the enigmatic mineral found at Altyn-Tyube was a new, as yet unclassified mineral and named it dioptase from the Greek dia, "through", and optos, "visible", alluding to the two directions of cleavage of the mineral that are visible within intact crystals.
It is popular among mineral collectors and is sometimes cut into small gems. It can also be ground and used as a pigment for painting.
Dimensions
Height (cm): 3-3.5
Depth (cm): 1.5-2.2
Width (cm): 2.5-3
Weight (g): 15-30
Property
Chemical Formula: CuSiO3*H2O
Mohs scale: 5
Relative Density: 3.28 / 3.5
Crystal System: Trigonal
