Description
This elbaite tourmaline is from the Cruzeiro Mine in Sao Jose da Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Almost Twenty different minerals are found at the mine including several gem stone varieties like elbaite. Elbaite is in the Tourmaline Group of minerals. It is a silicate and it contains the elements Al, B, H, Li, Na, O and Si. It can be found in a variety of colors which are caused by traces of other elements in the crystal lattice. This complex crystal is translucent to transparent with a glass luster on one side with secondary tourmalines, mica and albite on the other. The lower termination (photo 6) has a healed surface. It measures 1 3/8 x 7/16 x 3/8- inches or 35 x 11 x 8 mm.
