Tanzanite 101

Tanzanite is the blue/purple variety of the mineral zoisite. It was discovered in the Mererani Hills of Manyara Region in Northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Tanzanite is a relatively new gemstone in the world of gemology and jewelry. Since its discovery, tanzanite has sold for as little as $20 per carat and as much as $1,000 per carat or more, for gem-quality, finely coloured stones.

That price may seem like a bargain in time, as tanzanite is a single-source gemstone and that source is expected to be mined out within the next 20 to 30 years based on the latest mining information.