Australian Thulite was mined almost a decade ago near Nymagee (pronounced: Na-ma-gee) in New South Wales, a town forever remembered in Aussie folklore. Aside from surrounding deposits containing a plethora of gemstones and minerals, Nymagee is also home to ‘Clancy of the Overflow’ (1889), a poem written by the famous bush poet Banjo Paterson. The sheep station, ‘The Overflow’, featured in the poem is situated approximately 32 kilometers southeast of Nymagee. Displaying a gorgeous blend of pinks and reds, with attractive and delicate whitish mottling, Australian Thulite is a beautifully unique and incredibly rare, down-under twist on the national gem of Norway.
Hardness 6.5 - 7
Refractive Index 1.69 - 1.70
Relative Density 3.10 - 3.38
Enhancement None
Beauty
Australian Thulite is a colorful fusion of fuchsias, roses, and strawberries with subtle vanilla sprinklings, and a sparkly, silky luster. Australian Thulite is cut as cabochons (cut in convex form and highly polished, but not faceted) to accentuate its signature color and mottling. Finished with an excellent polish, proportion and shape, Australian Thulite displays striking colors and a superior luster.
Thulite, also known as Manganoan Zoisite or Rosaline, is the rare pink to reddish variety of Zoisite, whose most famous gemstone is the highly coveted Tanzanite. Anyolite is another scarce and notable Zoisite that consists of opaque apple-green Zoisite and Ruby. In 1805, Abraham Gottlob Werner described Zoisite naming it after Sigmund Zois Freiherr von Edelstein (1747 – 1819), a Carniolan (present-day Slovenia) geologist, mineralogist, natural scientist, and nobleman. Thulite was first discovered in Norway at Sauland, Telemark in 1820 and is named after the mythical Scandinavian island of Thule, mentioned in Greek legend, which many identify as Norway. Thulite is opaque and composed of dense crystals, ranging in color depending on the manganese content. It also often has black, gray or white mottling due to the presence of Calcite or Quartz. Clinothulite is the pink, manganese-rich variety of Clinozoisite, noting Zoisite and Clinozoisite are very similar, differing only in crystal structure.
Rarity
Increasingly popular globally, Thulite was discovered in Norway, but is also found in Australia, Austria, Namibia, and the USA. Despite these discoveries, Thulite in fine qualities remains extremely scarce. Our Australian Thulite comes from the Hera Deposit near Nymagee in New South Wales. Obtained from crystals unearthed in 2009, Australian Thulite is unfortunately no longer commercially mined or readily available. Importantly, Australian Thulite is also totally natural and unenhanced, further accentuating their desirability and rarity.
Durability & Care
A jewelry gemstone well-suited to everyday wear, Australian Thulite (Mohs’ Hardness: 6.5 – 7) should always be stored carefully to avoid scuffs and scratches. Clean with gentle soap and lukewarm water, scrubbing behind the gem with a very soft toothbrush as necessary. After cleaning, pat dry with a soft towel or chamois cloth.
Map Location
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