Seven! Color Fluorescent, Merelani, Tanzania

Contributed by: James Horste
Date: Apr 15th, 2026
Locality: Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania (See on Mindat)
Size: 1.9 x 1.7 x 2.9 inches
Weight: 7 oz

Description:
Here is a SEVEN color fluorescent specimen from the Merelani Hills in Tanzania. Under shortwave UV you can see yellow fluorescing phlogopite, blue fluorescing diopside, orange fluorescing meionite, green fluorescing hyalite, yellow fluorescing tsavorite, red fluorescing calcite and white fluorescing calcite. Under longwave UV you can see the yellow-orange fluorescing meionite and the white fluorescing calcite. This is an interesting daylight specimen as well with a bit of gemmy green tsavorite and pyrite. The Merelani Hills are famous for tanzanite and tsavorite gemstones, but I have not seen any significant fluorescents come from this location until now.

Originally posted by James Horste on Nature's Rainbows in 2016.