Geologists and the general public are both amazed by
the discovery of a totally new mineral this week by the precious stone mining
business Shefa Yamim in northern Israel.
Image description: Carmeltazite, often known as
"Carmel Sapphire," could be marketed as a mineral more valuable than
diamonds.
The mineral was discovered encrusted in sapphire
while mining in volcanic rock in northern Israel's Zevulun Valley near Mt.
Carmel and was appropriately dubbed "carmeltazite" after the location
of its discovery. It was discovered to be tougher than diamond during density
testing.
Carmeltazite resembles ruby and sapphire in
appearance and chemical makeup, yet it is unlike any other sapphire found in
the globe. In fact, the material had previously only been discovered in outer
space.
It was difficult to mine and identify since the
business discovered it trapped within or in the fractures of jewels within
volcanic rock on Mount Carmel.
Carmeltazite has a distinct crystal structure.
It was formed by volcanic explosions in Cretaceous,
dinosaur-ruled Israel along the Carmel crest, when 14 volcanic vents were
regularly shooting out lava that eroded and drowned the Mediterranean.
So far, the largest stone discovered weighs 33.3
carats.
The material has been patented as "Carmel
sapphire" by the Israeli business, and it has also been approved as a new
mineral by the International Mineralogical Association's Commission on New
Minerals. While the approval of new minerals is not uncommon, the discovery of
this mineral has surprised many due to its remarkable rarity.
Though the business has mentioned certain
prospective locations along Mt. Carmel for additional exploration of the
mineral, it is still rarer than diamonds. "Gemstone pricing are frequently
a function of rarity," said Abraham Taub, CEO of Shefa Yamim, an Israeli
gemstone mining company. Carmeltazite, if delivered to the mineral market, will
very certainly be far more expensive than them.
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