Description
This tourmaline is from Sao Jose da Batalha, Salgadinho, Borborema mining district, Paraiba, Brazil. Some of the pegmatites in district mine produce a rare variety of elbaite tourmaline that has a unique blue green color. Elbaite contains the elements Al, B, H, Na, O, and Si. It comes in a variety of colors based on the presence of trace elements in the crystal matrix. These rare elbaites are cuprian or they contain traces of copper. The copper is the element responsible for the blue green color. This specimen has a quartz matrix that hosts several partial crystals of mostly rubellite tourmaline with some partial crystals of the green of copper variety that is commonly referred to as Paraiba tourmaline. This piece measures 2 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 inches or 50 x 35 x 32 mm.
