Beautiful new dioptase specimens from Mindouli, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) – these were mined very recently and arrived in Europe a few days before Sainte-Marie. Sharp, lustrous and of course, wonderful green, these dioptase specimens are now posted under Dioptase – July 2014 Update.
You have to be a glutton for photographic punishment to shoot any dioptase, let alone many of them (it is so hard to capture the colour and intensity) but hopefully the photos in this update do these fine specimens reasonable justice.

Dioptase on Plancheite, Mindouli, Pool Department, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) – full specimen 5.3 cm

Dioptase, Mindouli, Pool Department, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) – 5.6 cm

Dioptase, Mindouli, Pool Department, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) – crystal 1.3 cm