| Tourmaline is a gem which has been popular since the | | | | tourmaline was due to thepresence of copper. This |
| days of the Roman Empire. | | | | was unlike any of the other varieties where copper |
| Tourmaline belongs to the trigonal (three sided) crystal | | | | israrely if ever present. Paraiba tourmaline also often |
| system and occurs aslong, slender to thick columnar | | | | contains manganese. The interaction between copper |
| crystals that are usually triangular incross-section. No | | | | and manganese creates the beautiful colors of this |
| other common mineral has three sides. This mineral | | | | variety. |
| group ischemically one of the most complicated groups | | | | In the late 90s, copper-bearing tourmaline was found in |
| of silicate minerals. | | | | Nigeria. This material wasgenerally pale and less |
| The wide variety of colors is caused by different | | | | saturated than the Brazilian materials although it |
| elements occurring in tourmaline. | | | | wasmuch less included than the Brazilian variety. A |
| Usually, iron-rich tourmalines are black to bluish-black to | | | | more recent discovery from |
| deep brown, whilemagnesium-rich varieties are brown | | | | Mozambique has also produced beautiful tourmaline |
| to yellow, and lithium-rich tourmalines arepractically any | | | | colored by copper, similar tothe Brazilian Paraiba |
| color: blue, green, red, yellow, pink etc. Rarely, | | | | tourmaline. Mozambique Paraiba is often less included |
| tourmaline iscolorless. Bi-colored and multicolored | | | | andhas been found in larger sizes. There is a significant |
| crystals are relatively common. Crystalsmay be green | | | | overlap in color andclarity with Mozambique Paraiba |
| at one end and pink at the other, or green on the | | | | and Brazilian Paraiba. Some Mozambique materialsells |
| outside and pink inside; this variation is called | | | | for over $12,000 per carat wholesale, which is still |
| watermelon tourmaline. Some forms of tourmalineare | | | | extremely highcompared to other tourmalines. |
| dichroic (they appear to change color when viewed | | | | The supply of the Mozambique variety is uncertain at |
| from differentdirections). | | | | this point; the consensus seems to be that there is |
| In 1989, Brazilian miners discovered a unique and | | | | plenty of lighter material available, but very few large |
| brightly colored variety oftourmaline. The new type of | | | | stones or stones ofhighly saturated color. Supply will |
| tourmaline was found in the state of Paraiba andsoon | | | | decrease with time. Meanwhile, there seemsto be an |
| became known as Paraiba tourmaline. This new find | | | | increasing demand for this beautiful gem. There are |
| excited many with itsvivid blue and green colors. | | | | usually stunningspecimens available at larger gem |
| These new iridescent colors were often described as | | | | shows. These amazing stones are a sight not tobe |
| "neon" since they appeared to glow. | | | | missed and well worth the time to see them when |
| Gemologists discovered that the vivid color of Paraiba | | | | they are available. |