Dioptase is an attractive, vivid emerald-green stone, with a hint of blue. It has very high fire, but this is masked by its strong color. That may make stones translucent rather than transparent. Prized by the collector for its color, it is nonetheless rarely faceted. That is because the stone is brittle and fragile, and too soft to be worn. It is sometimes confused with emerald.
Dioptase crystals have perfect cleavage.
Occurrence
The best quality dioptase crystal occurs in copper deposits in Zaire, Chile, Namibia, Russia, and Arizona (USA).
Dioptase Properties
- Specific Gravity: 3.31
- Refractive Index: 1.67-1.72
- Birefringence (DR): 0.053
- Luster: Vitreous
- Crystal Structure: Trigonal
- Composition: Hydrated copper silicate
- Hardness: 5
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