Anyolite

Anyolite is a metamorphic rock composed of intergrown green zoisite, black/dark green pargasite and ruby.[1] It has been found in the Arusha Region of Tanzania and in Austria.[2] It is sometimes incorrectly advertised as a variety of the mineral zoisite. The term anyolite is, however, not an officially accepted term for a metamorphic rock.[3] Its name derives from the Maasai word anyoli, meaning "green".[4] Anyolite is also referred to as ruby in zoisite, ruby zoisite, ruby-zoisite or Tanganyika artstone.

Anyolite from Mundarara Mine, Tanzania

The contrasting colours make anyolite a popular material for sculptures and other decorative objects. It was first discovered at the Mundarara Mine, near Longido, Tanzania in 1954.

In 2010 it was suggested that a 2 kilogram stone known as the Gem of Tanzania owned by the defunct company Wrekin Construction and fraudulently valued at £11 million was actually a lump of anyolite worth about £100,[5] although it was eventually sold for £8000.[6] It is reported that the stone originally came from a mine near Arusha, Tanzania.[7]

References
  1. http://www.mindat.org/min-27151.html Mindat
  2. http://www.mindat.org/min-27151.html Mindat
  3. Metamorphic rocks, A classification and glossary of terms, D. Fettes and J. Desmons ed., Cambridge University Press
  4. http://www.mindat.org/min-27151.html Mindat
  5. Jonathan Guthrie (October 1, 2009). "Now £11m Gem of Tanzania hits rock bottom". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10.
  6. "Wrekin's '£11m' Gem of Tanzania ruby sold for £8k". BBC News. 16 February 2010.
  7. Guthrie, Jonathan; Pearson, Samantha (27 March 2019). "The strange journey of the 'jinxed' jewel". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
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