The facts
What anyolite actually is
Anyolite is classified as a metamorphic rock: green zoisite with pink-red corundum crystals and black pargasite amphibole, with the composition Zoisite Ca2Al3(SiO4)3(OH), corundum Al2O3, pargasite amphibole. It crystallises in the aggregate system.
Colour comes from cr3+ colours both the green zoisite and the red corundum - the same chromophore giving two colours in one rock, which makes it a good teaching specimen, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.69-1.70 (zoisite), 1.76-1.77 (corundum). Specific gravity around 3.00-3.40. Cleavage: perfect in zoisite, none in corundum. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where anyolite comes from
Anyolite is produced at Longido, Arusha Region, Tanzania - the type and principal locality, Mundarara, Tanzania and Kenya (minor).
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How anyolite is treated
Untreated as a rule; the corundum is almost never of facetable quality, so heat treatment is pointless. Sold sometimes as 'ruby in zoisite' where the corundum is opaque and would not qualify as ruby by a strict quality definition - worth flagging. Tanzania restricts export of unprocessed rough for some gem materials, so check current rules on raw blocks. Not CITES.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What anyolite is confused with
In the trade anyolite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Ruby in fuchsite (a different rock), Thulite (pink zoisite rock) or Dyed composites.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.69-1.70 (zoisite), 1.76-1.77 (corundum) and specific gravity 3.00-3.40 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What anyolite is used for
Demand for anyolite comes from carving and sculpture, decorative objects, mineral collecting and jewellery, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the block, by the piece or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 6-7 zoisite, 9 corundum - an awkward hardness contrast for polishing; cleavage perfect in zoisite, none in corundum. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Hardness is not the whole story. Perfect cleavage means the stone can split cleanly if struck along the wrong plane, whatever its Mohs number, so a protective setting matters more here than the hardness suggests.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What anyolite costs
As a guide, anyolite trades around $3-20 per kilogram rough; carved figures and spheres $30-500.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is anyolite treated, and how?
Untreated as a rule; the corundum is almost never of facetable quality, so heat treatment is pointless. Sold sometimes as 'ruby in zoisite' where the corundum is opaque and would not qualify as ruby by a strict quality definition - worth flagging. Tanzania restricts export of unprocessed rough for some gem materials, so check current rules on raw blocks. Not CITES.
Where does anyolite come from?
Longido, Arusha Region, Tanzania - the type and principal locality, Mundarara, Tanzania and Kenya (minor). Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is anyolite hard enough to wear every day?
With care. It is 6-7 zoisite, 9 corundum - an awkward hardness contrast for polishing on the Mohs scale, which is hard enough, but perfect in zoisite, none in corundum cleavage means it can split if struck at the wrong angle. Use a protective setting and avoid ultrasonic cleaning.
How much does anyolite cost?
Indicatively $3-20 per kilogram rough; carved figures and spheres $30-500. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is anyolite confused with?
Most often Ruby in fuchsite (a different rock), Thulite (pink zoisite rock) and Dyed composites. A refractive index of 1.69-1.70 (zoisite), 1.76-1.77 (corundum) and a specific gravity near 3.00-3.40 separate it quickly.
What is anyolite used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, decorative objects and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for anyolite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about anyolite