Famous African ‘alien eye’ mineral finds a home in Dallas museum

A 2-foot-tall mineral known as “The Eyes of Africa” has a new home in a Dallas museum after an unusual journey from Namibia that included a white Mercedes and 400 diapers.

“The Eyes of Africa” is the most complete specimen of alien eye fluorite discovered to date. Alien eye got its name because the quartz crystal and fluorite combination has the appearance of an eye peering out. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has unveiled the special new exhibit; the mineral is on loan from Dallas philanthropist Lyda Hill, whose name is on the museum’s Gems and Minerals Hall, the Dallas News reported.

Perot Museum spokeswoman Krista Villarreal Moore joined Friday’s “The Morning Blaze with Doc Thompson” to talk about the unique mineral.

Miner and Namibian local Herold Gariseb found the mineral in the Alien Eye pocket and immediately knew it was a valuable discovery. He kept “The Eyes of Africa” in the trunk of his white Mercedes, never leaving it anywhere for fear that it would be stolen.

“This is a 2-foot-tall, glowing green mineral,” Moore described. “It’s crazy-looking.”

For gem and mineral collectors, the incredible specimen became a white whale until Mark Kielbaso and Jurgen Tron tracked it down and offered Gariseb a deal. To keep the 2-foot-tall alien eye specimen safe, they bought 400 diapers to protect it during shipping.

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