Description
This tourmaline, variety elbaite, crystal is from Stak Nala, Haramosh Mountains of the Skardu District, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan. This area contains gem bearing pegmatites which the local populations mine for gems and mineral specimens including tourmaline. Elbaite contains the elements Na, Li, Al, Si, O, B and H. It comes in a variety of colors from colorless to black. The presence of trace elements in the crystal lattice determines the color and species. This is an excellent display piece consisting of a mult- colored elbaite tourmaline with a cleavelandite matrix attached. This crystal has a brownish/green core that is surrounded by layers of transparent green and pink elbaite. This piece measures 1 x 3/4 x 9/16 inches or 25 x 19 x 14 mm.
