Tanzanite is a blue to purple variety of the Zoisite species, a mineral from the Silicates family. It is a calcium and aluminum silicate with the formula is Ca2 Al3 (SiO4) 3 OH.

 

Its color is due to the presence of vanadium.

 

Its crystal system is orthorhombic. Its hardness on the Mohs scale is between 6 and 6.5.

 

Tanzanite has a glassy, ​​pearly luster, and its density is 3.15 to 3.37.

 

Its fluorescence is zero. On the other hand, what makes it so special is the strength of its pleochroism, this ability to change color depending on the orientation. In the case of Tanzanite, it is trichroism: the stone shows blue, red-violet and bronze color depending on the angle of observation.

 

Zoisite, to be quite rare, is however present in many countries, such as Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the United States ... On the other hand, Tanzanite, apart from anecdotal quantities in Pakistan, has discovered only in Tanzania, and it is still the only place in the world where it is mined. The mines are located on the Masai territory, which owns 95% of the trade in this stone. A thousand times rarer than diamonds, and extracted in increasingly harsh conditions from the depths of the earth where the heat is barely bearable, the price of Tanzanite is higher and higher because demand is much higher than l 'offer. As the area concerned is only 20 km2, the deposits will certainly be depleted in the not too distant future…

 

 

Tradition:

 

Tanzanite has this extraordinary thing that it was discovered very late: it was completely unknown until the 1960s! The legend of their appearance varies according to the versions, but in sum, violent thunderstorms would have lit bush fires on the hills of Merelani, not far from the famous extinct volcano, Kilimanjaro. The shepherds who had fled far from the disaster ended up coming back: that's when they discovered the blue pebbles, originally gray-brown, transformed by heat into superb blue gems… You should know that blue is a sacred character among the Masai. It is a symbol of happiness and prosperity. The shepherds who found the first Tanzanites showed the mysterious stones to an explorer, who sent them for identification to a gemologist. The latter, puzzled, sent them to New York. The GIA (the Gemmological Institute of America), an authority on mineralogy, had to admit that it was a previously unknown variety of zoisite. In reality, it was formed by metamorphism or in pegmatites millions of years ago, and in its raw state, it occurs in veins of gneiss, in the form of a striated prism, with facets.

When Manuel de Souza "discovered", a little by chance, this stone in Arusha, in 1967, the opinion was passionate. There was talk in the newspapers of the "blue treasure of Africa". Reviews around the world have referred to these fairly large crystals, similar to sapphire . But we did not know what this stone really was. Some thought it was cordierite, others saw it as dumortierite.

John Saul, then a geologist in this region of the world, sent several copies to his father in New York; the latter took them to the New York jeweler Tiffany's, who literally became infatuated with this gem and who launched it on the American market in 1968. He gave it its name. Finally, it was the researchers of the German Society for the Study of Precious Stones from Idar-Oberstein who identified it: tanzanite was in fact a previously unknown variety of zoite, basic alumino-limestone silicate.

 

 

Physical virtues:

 

Despite its recent appearance in the sparkling world of gems, lithotherapists have already found many virtues in this shimmering mineral.
Tanzanite is said to have beneficial effects on the brain and nervous system. It would improve hearing and eyesight, and facilitate the work of the kidney. It would soothe abdominal and gastric pain and protect the skin and bones.
Tanzanite would stimulate the imagination and creativity, it would be in this the ally of artists, writers, musicians and other creators. It would increase memory capacities and intellectual curiosity. It would lift the soul in search of noble aspirations, of ever deeper spiritual research. It would facilitate the good conduct of meditation.
The “cat's eye” variation of Tanzanite would bring intuition and clairvoyance.

 

 

Psychic virtues:

 

This stone is credited with the ability to stimulate the imagination, artistic creativity, literary talent, humor.

It would acquire a very broad culture in all areas of human knowledge because it would strengthen memory and excite curiosity.

It would stimulate extrasensory perceptions and develop intuitive qualities.

 

 

Chakras:

 

Gorges, 3rd eye, and coronal.

 

 

Purification:

 

Running water.

 

 

Charge :

 

Lunar light, mass of rock crystal.

 

 

Zodiac:

 

Aquarius, Gemini, Aries, Pisces and especially Capricorn.