Olive Green Leopard Rock - Serpentine

Leopard rock is a hard and rare variety of serpentine stone. This particular variety is really only found in a few small mines in Nyanga, Eastern Zimbabwe. The more strongly yellow ones are likely from Shamva, north of Harare. Hence, these are quite rare stones. These kinds of mines are really just local villagers digging by hand in small areas for income, without much, if any machinery, and hence are not really environmentally taxing. Due to their uniform structure and hard nature, they are often used in the local sculpture works. 

Serpentine is the name for a group of minerals following a general formula, mainly including magnesium and iron, with the "leopard stone" variety being among the rarest. They form when ultramafic igneous rocks are subjected to hydrothermal metamorphism.

Igneous rocks form when magma or lava cools and crystalizes/solidifies.

Ultramafic rocks are rocks with a very low silica content, and a very high magnesium and iron content.

Olivine is a group of silicate minerals that are one of the first to crystalize from cooling magma. Peridotite is the name for coarse-grained and darkly coloured igneous rocks that have mainly olivine as their primary mineral. 

Hydrothermal metamorphism occurs when very hot and mineral rich waters interact with surrounding rocks at low pressures and cool temperatures. During this, the olivine, peridotite, and other minerals are replaced by serpentine minerals, mostly containing magnesium, iron, and aluminum. 

These serpentine varieties are often found when ancient tectonic plates were thrust into oceans. 

This particular piece is quite large and heavy. Leopard stone is very rare and this variety is really only available from one place in the world. The rarity is reflected in its price.  

5" tall x 2.77" wide x 3" thick

2.14 pounds / 972 grams

Origin: Zimbabwe