Photo credit: Artistic Chemist with a Beard
No, the mineral you see above isn’t from an alien planet, it’s just Tanzanite, which was discovered in the Mererani Hills of Manyara Region in Northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s used as a gemstone, and naturally formed tanzanite is extremely rare, still found only in the Mererani Hills. What stands out is its remarkably strong trichroism, appearing alternately sapphire blue, violet and burgundy depending on crystal orientation. Continue reading for more.
