Dioptase
For the feelings the heart is finally ready to hold.
- Stone
- Dioptase (copper silicate)
- Major Sources
- Congo, Namibia & Kazakhstan
- Treatment
- Usually natural
Dioptase is a copper silicate that forms small, vividly green crystals in the weathered zones of copper deposits. It's too soft and brittle for everyday wear, so it's sold almost entirely as natural crystal clusters on rock.
Read the Dioptase GuideBefore You Buy Dioptase
Is it emerald?
No. The first miners to find dioptase took it for emerald, but it's a copper silicate and much softer, so it's collected almost entirely as crystals rather than cut and worn.
Why are the crystals so small?
That's how dioptase grows. Most deposits yield only tiny crystals, and even fine pieces are usually clusters of short, glassy crystals in emerald to bluish green, still on the rock they formed on.
Care
At 5 on the Mohs scale, dioptase chips and splits easily. Clean it with a soft, dry brush; skip soaking and ultrasonic cleaners. Its copper makes the dust toxic, so never sand it or use it in drinking water.































































































































































































































