Anyolite is a metamorphic rock consisting of granular masses of bright green Chrome
Zoisite
with
dark green to black Pargasite
and/or minor black Tschermakite and containing red crystals of Ruby
which may be up to several centimeters across.
Anyolite
is named from the Maasai word "Anyole" meaning
green
in allusion to the bright green Chrome Zoisite. Anyolite was first
reported from the Mundarara Mine, Arusha Region, Tanzani
in 1954. The mine is named after the nearby Maasai village,
Mdarara, which is located about 27 km west of Longido, and about 100km northwest of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
The Maasai are an ethnic group of semi-nomadic people inhabiting southern Kenya and northern Tanzania.
Anyolite has also been found more recently at the
Ruby occurrence, Muriatata Hills, Longido, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania.
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