Giant Gem Creates Green Envy
Courtesy of GIA
A spectacular 472-carat emerald crystal, "El Itoco," was recently recovered at La Pita Mine in Columbia. It's shown here next to an 11-carat crystal, which is a more typical size for Columbia, and a 1-carat diamond.
An extremely rare, 472-carat emerald crystal has eyes popping in the North County.
The recently discovered emerald comes from the Muzo region mines in Colombia. The "El Itoco" crystal gets its name from Muzo Indian lore. It went on display at the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad earlier this month.
The gem-quality emerald crystal is rare because of it's size. It is a a 4-inch hexagonal shape with a color equivalent to the finest emeralds.
The crystal will be on display until early fall 2009. Viewings are free and available to the public through scheduled tours. Before going to the GIA Museum, be sure to contact the staff and RSVP an appointment. Call (800) 421-7250 ext 4116 or email guestservices@gia.edu.
