Description
This tourmaline, variety elbaite, is from the Pederneira Mine in Sao Jose da Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Elbaite is in the tourmaline Group of Minerals. It is a silicate that contains the elements Al, B, H, Li, Na, O and Si. It can be found in a variety of colors which is caused by traces of other elements in the crystal lattice. This crystal is from a 2004 find. It is transparent with striated prism faces and a glass luster. It is double terminated and free from any attached matrix. One end is blue that terminates into a purple cap with a secondary crystal and one is blue that terminates into green tip with a red cap. One edge has a slight 5 mm healed depression in the middle that was a former attachment point to another crystal (photo 9). At some angles it has a faint lavender hue. This piece measures 2 1/8 x 5/16 x 1/4 (not including the small attached crystal) or 59 x 8 x 6 mm. It weighs 5.4 grams.
