Tanzanite specimen

Robert M. Lavinsky, via Wikimedia Commons

Tanzanite

Silicates

Specimen Details

  • Hardness (Mohs): 6–7
  • Chemical Formula: Ca2Al3(SiO4)3(OH)
  • Crystal System: Orthorhombic
  • Size: Specimen size varies; record the piece, not the species

Tanzanite is the blue to violet gem variety of zoisite. It is strongly pleochroic, so the same crystal can look blue, violet, or brown depending on direction. Almost all gem material comes from Tanzania.

This page is only for Tanzanite. Comments below are for this material.

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