What is tanzanite?

Answer 1

Tanzanite is relatively new on the gemstone market, but has left its mark. Its blue-lavender color is rather unique and a wonderful addition to the gemstone palette. Found in Tanzania (hence the name) in 1967, it has since become a well known and widely distributed gemstone. It has become so popular that in October of 2002 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) announced that tanzanite had joined zircon and turquoise in the traditional list of birthstones for the month of December.
It has better fire than the tourmaline elbaite or peridot and an adequate hardness. Its only one direction of cleavage is somewhat of a problem because it is oriented with the direction of strongest pleochroism. This would be a problem in most gemstones because that is the direction the gemcutter would usually select to maximize the color. However, with tanzanite the color is usually strong enough anyway.

Pleochroism is very pronounced in tanzanite and is seen as three different color shades in the same stone. In the viewing a tanzanite stone, the colors dark blue, green-yellow and red-purple can be seen, all a result of pleochroism. Lesser stones may have a brownish color due to the mixing of blue, purple and green. These stones are usually heat treated to a deep blue color. Iolite is a blue-violet gemstone variety of the mineral cordierite, has strong pleochroism and can be confused with tanzanite. However, iolite is usually less strongly colored, its pleochroic colors vary from blue-violet to yellowish gray to blue and it has less fire. Iolite's unusual color shades makes it an exotic colored gemstone whose popularity is growing day by day.

Nearly all tanzanite has been heat treated to generate the beautiful violet-blue color this stone is known for. When first mined, most stones are a muted green color. The only known source of Tanzanite is a five square mile hilltop at Merelani, ten miles south of the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania.

Answer 2

Tanzanite is the blue/purple variety of the mineral zoisite (Ca2(Al.OH)Al2(SiO4)3) discovered in the Meralani Hills of northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha. It is a popular and valuable gemstone when cut, although its durability is somewhat lacking; its tendency to break precludes appropriate use as a ring stone. Tanzanite is noted for its remarkably strong trichroism, appearing alternately sapphire blue, violet, and sage-green depending on crystal orientation. However, most tanzanite is subjected to artificial heat treatment to improve its colour: this significantly subdues its trichroism.

Maasai tribesmen discovered Tanzanite in 1967, supposedly after lightning struck and caused a bush fire which heated the raw brown zoisite into the vivid blue-purple. Whether this is true or not is debatable.

Maasai tribes are also said to believe that Tanzanite is the stone of birth because of its blue colour, and they give tanzanite to their wives when they have their first children.

Answer 3

Tanzanite is the blue/purple variety of the mineral zoisite discovered in the Meralani Hills of northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha. It is a popular and valuable gemstone when cut, although its durability is somewhat lacking.

Answer 4

It is a really pretty purple gemstone that was originally found in Tanzania near the capital city of Arusha. We saw it when we visited East Africa in 1987. They export jewelry made of tanzanite.

Answer 5

Tanzanite is a blue gem stone with a purple glow. Made famous by Tiffany's of New York and found only in Tanzania (Africa) -- hence the name

Answer 6

Tanzanite is a clear yellow colored gemstone.It is similar to amethyst and other clear colored gemstones.As with any gemstone the value varies though as I remember tanzanite is a rather low value gemstone.

Answer 7

Tanzanite is the blue/purple variety of the mineral zoisite (Ca2(Al. OH)Al2(SiO4)3)

Answer 8

tanzanite is a person that comes from Tanzania, you dont say tanzanian or tanzaniish, you say tanzanite and and tanzanitish.

Answer 9

http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/tanzanite.htmlhttp://www.galleries.com/minerals/gemstone/tanzanit/tanzanit.htm

These will tell you what Tanzanite is and where it is found

Answer 10

It is gemstone found in Tanzania Africa