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Mineralogical Miracles from the Merelani Tanzanite Mines

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Tuesday, March 14, 2017, 11 am– 12 pm

This is a past event.

Materials Science and Engineering Seminar

Prof. John A. Jaszczak
Department of Physics and the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum
Michigan Technological University

Abstract: The purple-blue gem variety of zoisite called tanzanite from a deposit near the village of Merelani in northern Tanzania has brought renown to the region since the 1960s; however, the region is also host one of the world’s richest flake graphite deposits. A few other minerals such as rich yellow-green diopside and the transparent green grossular variety known as tsavorite have also been prized by collectors in recent decades. As both artisanal and highly developed mining have greatly expanded in the past several years, so too has the recognition by miners and the mineral collector market of the tremendous wealth, beauty and scientific value of a vast array of exceptional minerals from the Merelani mines. These include world class specimens of pyrite, alabandite, wurtzite, and even graphite. This illustrated lecture will review these seemingly miraculous mineralogical occurrences and reveal yet further surprises that have recently been uncovered.

Bio: John Jaszczak is a professor of physics at Michigan Technological University where he specializes in nanotechnology education and computer modeling of materials properties. He is also adjunct curator at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Tech. His mineralogical interests currently focus on graphite from around the world and the minerals from Merelani, Tanzania. He recently was recognized by the naming of the new mineral jaszczakite in his honor.

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