Polished Super Rare Red Silver Tantalite Faceted Collector Gemstone x 1 From Wessels Mine, South Africa

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This is a super rare gem red silver Tantalite collector’s faceted stone (variety Manganotantalite). It is an XXXX rare, niche collector’s piece from Wessels Mine in the Northern Cape, South Africa. In normal light, it shows a metallic silver reflection in normal light (sub-metallic gem), but under strong light it glows with an intense, blood red, translucent, clear colour. A bluish tone appears under certain normal light, because of light absorption unique to this extraordinarily rare gem oxide. Tantalite is twice as dense as a diamond, with a specific gravity of 7.5, so at about 4.315 carats this is a smaller stone than a normal one, as it is much heavier. It has a high refractive index of around 2.2 and a vitreous metallic lustre. The true bloody red colour comes from the highly transparent Manganotantalite, but the steel grey reflection of the Manganese oxide blends the red with silver in some lights, so it looks silver and red in sunlight. This is the “Holy Grail” for advanced collectors.

PRODUCT DATA 
Locality = Wessels Mine, South Africa
Grade = A Grade
Size = 10 x 8 x 5 mm