Tanzanite is a blue gemstone with a purplish tint only found in the African state of Tanzania. A gemstone often used in holistic healing, tanzanite is believed to bring the wearer courage and improve communication skills. It is the stone associated with the 24th wedding anniversary.
History
Tanzanite has only been mined in the African state of Tanzania. The stone was created from an eruption of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The pressure and heat created by the volcanic blast allowed a series of elements to combine into tanzanite. The gemstone was first discovered in 1967 in the Merelani Hills, an area in the north of the state near Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is said to have been found initially by Masai tribesmen, who came across a stone that was hit by lightning.
Manuel de Souza, a tailor and prospector living in Arush, Africa, is often credited with bringing the stones into the mainstream. He showed them to geologist John Saul, who shipped samples to his father Hyman Saul, a vice president with Saks Fifth Avenue. The stones were then tested by the Gemological Institute of America and shown to be zoisite. The stones are mined in tracts of lands known as blocks with TanzaniteOne, a mining company, controlling approximately 35% of the market share.
Natural stones are typically treated with heat to bring out the blue shades within the stone. The name Tanzanite was conceived by Tiffany and Company as part of their effort to market the new stones. The company made a huge splash in the late 1960’s with the introduction of the stone. It was initially viewed as a potential replacement stone for Sapphires.
After tanzanite smuggling was alleged to be linked to the al Qaeda terrorist network in 2001, the industry introduced a tracking system to account for what happens to the gemstones between the mines and customers. At the time, parallels were drawn between tanzanite and the conflict diamond trade.
In an effort to combat negative publicity, the largest miners and dealers formed the Tanzanite Foundation, a marketing organization to detail how and where the stones are located.
Tanzanite Composition And Color
Tanzanite is a blue variety with purplish tints from the mineral family zoisite. It is not extremely hard and will crack under direct impact; which means that it is difficult to extract large carats from a mine. Accordingly, it only has a value of 6.5 to 7.0 on the Mohs Scale. It has a crystalline structure and the chemical formula of (Ca2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)).
Tanzanite is a deep blue color, ranging from ultramarine to violet-blue. And yet, tanzanite can Tanzanite change colors based on the angle from which it is viewed, shifting from blue to green to violet -- a property known as trichroism. A true blue stone will often be more expensive than a stone with a muddled color, because it is rarer.
Tanzanique is the simulated version of Tanzanite -- a simulant created in a lab. It has the color of Tanzanite, but doesn't share the same color change properties. A number of differences exists between natural and simulated stones. Since tanzanite is so expensive, the artificial stone can be a cost efficient alternative.
Tanzanite Buyer's Guide
There is a wide range in the quality and size of stones. Jewelers may refer to the four c’s of tanzanite: color, cut, clarity, and carat weight, measured in the same fashion as diamonds. Many loose tanzanite gems will be assigned a quality scale score with the color being judged according to
Tiffany & Co. first marketed tanzanite as a stone to give to new mothers; and the American Gem Trade Association designated it a December birthstone in 2002. In addition to considering tanzanite for jewelry, some have approached the gemstone market as an investment.
Reputed Healing Powers of Tanzanite
Tanzanite is believed to have healing powers. The stone is commonly linked with improved communication and an actualization of one’s goals. It is one of the gemstones and crystals that is thought to help with balancing chakras (theorized openings where energy flows into and out of a person’s body, thought to be connected to health and wellbeing.) Tanzanite is said to stimulate the third-eye and crown chakras, one of the seven major chakras.
In order to find out if Tanzanite is the right gemstone for what ails a person, experts recommend discovering if a given stone is a vibrational match for an intended purpose.
Clearing And Cleaning Gemstones
Tanzanite is a relatively soft stone and should never be cleaned in an ultrasonic bath or with acid. In order to improve the strength of a stone, it may need to be cleared or cleansed. Cleaning methods can involve sunlight or moonlight and may take from hours to several days. As part of Native American tradition, a smudging tool and the smoke that comes from burning herbs can be used to clean out negative energy in a crystal. Healers also recommend programming or dedicating a stone to help channel its energy. In addition, storage can be important. Some people will create a crystal altar to provide an energy center in their room or home.
Related Tanzanite Resources
About.com Chemistry: Mohs Scale [1] About.com Chemistry: Tanzanite Color Changes [2] About.com Healing Chakras [3] About.com Healing Seven Major Chakras [4] About.com Healing Vibrational Match [5] About.com Healing Clearing Gemstones [6] About.com Cleaning Gemstones [7] About.com Healing Smudging [8] About.com Healing Programming Gemstones [9] About.com Healing Crystal Altar [10] About.com Healing: Healing with Tanzanite [11] About.com Jewelry Diamonds [12] About.com Jewelry Making: Why Use Simulated Stones? [13] About.com Jewelry: Is It a Real Gemstone? [14] About.com Marriage: 24th Wedding Anniversary [15] Absolute Astronomy: Who Found Tanzanite? [16] Colored Stone: Tanzanite's Alleged Links To Al Qaeda [17] Galleries: December Birthstone [18] Gem Country USA: Simulant Gemstone [19] Gemstone Education: The History and Origin of Tanzanite [20] International Colored Gemstone Association: Tanzanite Composition [21] Lapigems: Four C’s Of Tanzanite [22] Lapigems: Tanzanite Investment [23] Palagems: Tanzanite [24] Social Science Research Council: The Role of Conflict Diamonds in al Qaeda's Financial Structure [25] Tanzanite Foundation [26] Tanzanite Experience: Quality Scale [27] Tanzanite Improving Communication [28] Tanzanite Origins [29] Time: Tanzanite Comes To Market [30] Time: Tanzanite Mining [31] Tsavorite: Tanzanite Early Days Of Marketing [32]