Natural untreated Deep Purple Sugilite carving pair Translucent Gel 26mm 28ct

Description

Sugilite - Translucent Gel Carving pair - Natural and untreated
Photos taken with daylight lamps and are enlarged - see sizes given
Wessels Mine - Kalahari Manganese Mines - South Africa
Size : 26 x 16 x 4.2 mm       Total Weight : 28 carat
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The material occurs in a large stratiform manganese ore body at the Wessels mine near Kuruman, South Africa. Some 12 to 15 tons of sugilite of varying quality are estimated to occur at the mine. The attractive purple color is due to the presence of about 1-3 wt. % manganese oxide. There are actually two types of gem materials that have heretofore been called sugilite: one that is predominantly manganoan sugilite with minor impurity minerals, and the other that is chalcedony mixed with (and colored by) sugilite.