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Elbaite, Afghanistan to Nigeria
Posted by Rock Currier
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Elbaite, Afghanistan to Nigeria December 14, 2012 11:24AM |
Click here to view Best Minerals and here for Best Minerals tourmaline group minerals, here for Best Minerals chromium-dravite, here for chromo-alumino-povondraite, here for darellhenryite, here for dravite, here for elbaite, Afghanistan to Nigeria, here for elbaite, Pakistan to Zambia here for feruvite, here for fluor-buergerite here for fluor-dravite, here for fluor-elbaite, here for fluor-feruvite, here for fluor-liddicoatite, here for fluor-schorl, here for fluor-tsilaisite, here for fluor-uvite, here for foitite, here for liddicoatite, here for luinaite-(OH), here for magnesiofoitite, here for olenite, here for oxy-chromium-dravite, here for oxy-dravite, here for oxy-rossmanite, here for oxy-schorl, here for oxy-vanadium-dravite, here for povondraite, here for rossmanite, here for schorl, here for tsilaisite and here for uvite, and here for vanadio-oxy-chromium-dravite and here for vanadio-oxy-dravite. Click here for Best Minerals T and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.
Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?
Elbaite: Trigonal: Elbaite-Liddicoatite Series, Dravite-Elbaite Series, and the Elbaite-Schorl Series
Na(Li 1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Elbaite provides more eye candy for mineral collectors than in any other tourmaline group mineral, possibly more than all of the other tourmaline group minerals combined. When looking at the specimens pictured below, keep in mind that tourmaline group mineral names can not be assigned by color only and can be accurately given only after careful analysis. Usually the reason the name elbaite has been assigned to the specimens below is because one or two specimens from the locality have been analysed, and on the strength of that analysis, it is assumed that other similar looking tourmaline crystals from that locality are also elbaite. Very few if any of the specimens shown below have actually been analysed, and it is not likely that most of them ever will be because the owners of them are reluctant to have them cut open and analysed. A few of the specimens below have been labeled elbaite/schorl indicating that the crystal contains both elbaite & schorl in the same crystal. Also keep in mind that photographers and editors seeking to increase the appeal of their "product" play lighting games with these specimens and use programs like Photoshop to enhance their colors. Some of the beautiful specimens pictured below would be much less attractive in hand than they appear in their pictures. Like centerfold models in Playboy magazine, many of the specimens pictured below are substantially less attractive in real life.
Most tourmaline crystals, especially elbaite, are found as single crystals and much more rarely as good matrix specimens, doubly terminated crystals or as clusters of intergrown terminated crystals. So collectors tend to favor those over just single crystals. Tourmaline sometimes comes associated with crystals of minerals other than quartz, mica and albite, and those combinations are particularly sought after by collectors.
Mindat currently [Jan 2013] lists 506 localities for elbaite. Historically, perhaps the specimens from Elba Italy were the most desirable. Then good specimens were found in Russia, Maine and San Diego, California, USA followed by abundant localities in Brazil, Madagascar and other places. The Handbook of Mineralogy lists the largest crystal of elbaite as being 1.6 meters long. Crystals of red elbaite tourmaline (rubellite) to about a meter long, and are thought to be the best specimens of this species, have been found at the Jonas mine near Conselheiro Peña in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The two great specimens from this find are currently in a private mineral collection in the United States. Although we do not currently have any images of these amazing specimens in our database, the pictures that we do have will give the viewer a hint of what the really great ones look like. Other localities in Brazil have produced a large number of amazingly fine tourmaline specimens and some of the large but almost always repaired specimens from the Pederneira mine look like they came from outer space. Other sought after elbaites are from San, Diego County, California, USA, particularly those from the Queen mine at Pala and the Himalaya mine near Mesa Grande. The best specimens from the giant pegmatites in Afghanistan have also produced remarkable tourmalines. Which are the best? Well, that you must decide.
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Konar Province (Kunar Province; Konarh Province; Konarha Province; Nuristan)
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Konar Province (Kunar Province; Konarh Province; Konarha Province; Nuristan), Chapa Dara District, Dara-i-Pech (Darra-i-Pech; Darra-e-Pech; Pech; Peech; Page) pegmatite field
Afghanistan is a somewhat remote country. The area in the north of the country where the gem producing pegmatites are found is particularly remote. For much of their recent history, the region has been governed by war lords rather than the central government in Kabul. This makes travel and trade in the area particularly difficult. During the Russian occupation, Russian geologists made the first modern professional assessments of the pegmatites in the 1960s. Their descriptions of the pegmatites and their huge size and richness are amazing. There are no roads to many of the pegmatites and even today, many of them are accessible only by foot paths and may require a day or more of walking to reach them. Specimens from these pegmatites first reached the bazaars in Kabul where they were sold now and then to a few foreigners who happened by. One story is told of an American dealer who taped more than 100 tourmaline crystals to his body in order to get them past the local customs and out of the country. During the Russian occupation most of the material was smuggled across the border to Peshawar, Pakistan which quickly became and still is today the center for the Afghanistan and Pakistani gemstone and specimen trade. This is likely to remain the case untill peace returns to Afghanistan and it becomes possible for people to travel freely with goods in the country, something I don't think I will see in my lifetime. Initially most of the tourmalines were broken from their matrix and placed, without wrapping, into sacks to make it easier to carry them across the mountains into Pakistan. How many good matrix specimens were destroyed in this process is anyone's guess, but certainly not less than a few tons.
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Konar Province (Kunar Province; Konarh Province; Konarha Province; Nuristan), Dara-i-Pech District (Pech District), Manogay (Mano Gai; Manugie; Managi)
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Laghman Province (Lagman Province; Nuristan)
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Nuristan Province (Nurestan Province; Nooristan Province; Nuristan), Du Ab District, Nilaw-Kolum pegmatite field, Mawi pegmatite
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Nuristan Province (Nurestan Province; Nooristan Province; Nuristan), Kamdesh District, Paprok Mine (Papruk Mine; Paprowk Mine)
Elbaiite
Australia
South Australia, Kangaroo Island, Dudley Peninsula, Penneshaw, Dudley pegmatite
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Água Boa, Benedito mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Conselheiro Pena, Ferruginha, Sapo mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Conselheiro Pena, Jonas Mine (João Pinto mine)
When the big pocket of rubellite crystals at the Jonas mine was discovered in 1978 it was a sensation and specimens from the mine were sold at very high prices. They were found was a walk-in size pocket and the specimens were found so clean they did not need to be cleaned with acid. The miners called the pocket the bamboo pocket. The best and largest specimens from the pocket were purchased by an American collector for what, at the time, seemed like an incredible amount of money. One of the crystals from the pocket was about a meter in length and many of the crystals had substantial gem value. The best specimens from this discovery are rated by some as the best and most valuable mineral specimens ever found. None of the very good specimens are pictured above, but the modest specimens from the pocket that are shown here will hint at how fine the best ones are.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Governador Valadares, Golconda pegmatite
A classical locality for tourmaline. This mine produced some of the best and every collector would love to have a good one from this mine.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Governador Valadares, Golconda pegmatite, Golconda III Mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Itambacuri, Santa Rosa mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, São José da Safira, Chiar mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, São José da Safira, Cruzeiro mine
The Cruzeiro mine has been mined for many years and is a big one with numerous workings. Some of the specimens from this mine are wonderful, but many specimens are not very pretty, with colors grading from dark olive green to black. On my one visit to the mine in the 1980s, just after a big pocket of tourmaline had been found, I was shown two rooms full of specimens, all of them a dark olive green and all of which had suffered a lot of damage. I got to visit the underground pocket they came from and it was a good size room. There were still a lot of little areas in the walls that could have been worked for more specimens, and I wished I had some tools and a couple of days to dig there, but it gave me a taste of what other parts of the mine must have been like when other big pockets were encountered.
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, São José da Safira, Pederneira claim
When these specimens were found, several high end dealers competed to get them. Many of the larger specimens were damaged and had to be reconstructed. This this was done with considerable skill and I am sure that in the process the art of repairing and enhancing specimens was improved. Some of the specimens have ten or more repairs on them, but although the repairs were disclosed to customers, it seems not to have detracted from the value of the specimens. When a specimen gets good enough, repairs don't seem to affect the price at all.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha Valley, Coronel Murta
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha Valley, Coronel Murta, Barra de Salinas
The Barra de Salinas mine has produced very many fine specimens and I am surprised that more of them are not pictured here on Mindat. Perhaps the best known and desired by collectors are the bi-colored tourmaline "scepters" with pink/red heads and green stems. The ones we have here are in fact not all that good compared to the best from this locality.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha Valley, Coronel Murta, Barra de Salinas, Barra de Salinas district
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Coronel Murta, Terra Corrida claim (Baixão claim)
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Monte Belo, Pirineus claim
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Monte Belo, Urubu mine (Vulture mine; Uruba mine)
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Taquaral, Baixão mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Teixerinha mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Virgem da Lapa
This mine is better known for the wonderful blue topaz crystals it produces, but, as you can see, it has also produced good specimens of tourmaline.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Virgem da Lapa, Manoel Mutuca Mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Marilac, Veadinho claims (Viadinho claims)
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Santa Maria do Suaçui
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, São Sebastião do Maranhão
Frequently tourmaline is associated with quartz, albite and lepidolite, but sometimes it occurs with good crystals of other, more uncommon minerals. Here is an example of tourmaline associated with herderite. Combination specimens always bring a high price and are cherished by knowledgeable collectors.
Elbaite
Brazil
Paraíba, Borborema mineral province, Salgadinho, São José da Batalha, Batalha mine
Although these specimens don't appear to be all that wonderful compared to others from Brazil, copper give them their particularly attractive blue and green colors, and when faceted, they make exceptionally beautiful and valuable gems. Here are a few of the natural crystals from the deposit that have been saved from the cutters wheel.
Elbaite
Burma (Myanmar)
Mandalay Division, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Mogok Township
Tourmaline from Burma has been known of for a long time. There is one fine specimen in the British Museum for which a huge price was paid back in the late 1800s. More recently many specimens that look a little like pink mushrooms have been trickling out of Burma. These crystals are not all elbaite and some, if not most of them also contain Schorl and olenite in their structures.
Elbaite
Burma (Myanmar)
Mandalay Division, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Singu Township, Letpanhla
Elbaite
Burma
Mandalay Division, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Singu Township, Letpanhla, Marla
Elbaite
Burma
Shan State, Kyaukme District, Momeik Township
Elbaite
Burma
Shan State, Kyaukme District, Momeik Township, Molo quarter, Khetchel village (Cache village; Khat Che village), Palelni mine
Elbaite
Canada
Northwest Territories, O'Grady Lake area, Stargazer Claim
Elbaite
China
Xinjiang (Xinjiang-Uygur) Autonomous Region, Yili Hasake (Ili Kazakh) Autonomous Prefecture, Aletai (Altay) Prefecture
Elbaite
Germany
Saxony, Limbach-Oberfrohna, Pegmatite occurrences, Bräunsdorf
This is a small specimen, but quite remarkable in that one does not think of Germany as producing nice tourmaline specimens.
Elbaite
India
Jammu and Kashmir
Elbaite
India
Jammu and Kashmir, Ladhak
Elbaite
Italy
Lombardy, Brescia Province, Adamello-Brenta Natural Park, Adamello Massif, Mt. Foppa, Forcel Rosso Pass
Elba may be the first locality that was particularly noted for its tourmalines and the species is named after this island off the coast of Italy. We don't have many pictures of good ones here, but undoubtedly as time passes, more and better ones will be uploaded to Mindat. Particularly classic are those that the Germans called morenkopf (black head). These are crystals of colored tourmaline, often pink and green with black tips. I was thrilled when I got my first undamaged matrix specimen from this classic locality, but over the years, so many fine tourmalines from other localities have been found that today it looks a little drab in comparison.
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Italy
Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Campo nell'Elba, San Piero in Campo, Fonte del Prete
Elbaite
Italy
Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Campo nell'Elba, Sant'Ilario in Campo, Catri
Elbaite
Italy
Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Campo nell'Elba, Sant'Ilario in Campo, Catri, Easter Vein
Elbaite
Madagascar
Antananarivo Province, Vakinankaratra Region, Betafo District, Andrembesoa Commune, Ampanivana area, Ampanivana pegmatite
Madagascar has produced many fine specimens of tourmaline for more than 100 years. Most of the pegmatites that produce tourmaline crystals are deeply weathered, so that the matrix upon which the crystals grew, (mostly feldspar) has turned into clay and as a result you rarely ever see matrix specimens of tourmaline from Madagascar. When better analytical instrumentation became available to mineralogists they found that not all tourmalines were the same, and their new instruments allowed a better understanding of the structure of tourmaline and the arrangement of especially the light elements in their structure. Many of the crystals of tourmaline from Madagascar because of their somewhat different composition and structure were given the name of liddicoatite rather than elbaite. However, it is likely that at least some of the Madagascar elbaites pictured here are really liddicoatite.
Elbaite
Madagascar
Antananarivo Province, Vakinankaratra Region, Sahatany Pegmatite Field (Mt Ibity area)
Elbaite
Madagascar
Antananarivo Province, Vakinankaratra Region, Sahatany Pegmatite Field (Mt Ibity area), Sahatany Valley
Elbaite
Madagascar
Fianarantsoa Province, Matsiatra Region, Ikalamavony Pegmatite Field
Elbaite
Mexico
Baja California (Baja California Norte; BC Norte)
The pegmatites of Baja California, Norte have produced a few decent specimens of tourmaline. Some finds may be made in the future, but a quick walk around the localities showed lots of small pegmatites but little promise of new finds. But nevertheless collectors in the Southwest cherish the few modest specimens they have been able to get..
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Mexico
Baja California (Baja California Norte; BC Norte), Mun. de Ensenada, El Socorro, Delicias Mine
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Alto Ligonha District
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Alto Ligonha District, Muiâne pegmatite
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Alto Ligonha District, Naipa mine
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Namitála
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Karibib District, Otjimbingwe Farm 104
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Karibib District, Otjua Farm 37, Otjua Mine
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Karibib District, Usakos
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Omaruru District
Elbaite
Nepal
Kosi Zone (Koshi Zone), Sankhuwasabha District (Sankhuwa Sahba; Shankuwa-Sava), Hyakule
Nepal, Kosi Zone (Koshi Zone), Sankhuwasabha District (Sankhuwa Sahba; Shankuwa-Sava), Sonomla (Sunamla)
Elbaite
Nigeria
Oyo State, Ofiki
Elbaite
Nigeria
Oyo State, Ogbomosho (Ogbomoso)
In the summer of 1998 a new tourmaline deposit was discovered in a farming area 25 miles from the city of Ibadan, Nigeria, near the border with Benin. Gem dealers have noted that this is one of the finer discoveries of tourmaline in many years. The deposit is alluvial in nature; many of the tourmaline crystals have a frosted skin resulting from natural abrasion and weathering. Other crystals have sharp terminations indicating that they have not traveled far from their original source. The crystals were found under a relatively shallow overburden of soil (about six feet), and the deposit stretched for about 1000 meters. A flood of miners rapidly moved into the area and removed over 1,000 kilograms of fine tourmaline. The worn tourmaline crystals show very good clarity and range in color from pale pink to raspberry pink, to orangish pink to burgundy red. Some of the crystals show distinct color zoning (see above). The fashionable colors, combined with the remarkable clarity and size of the rough gem material, have made this tourmaline a hit with gemstone dealers and the public. Because of the large supply of material, average prices for faceted stones at the 1998 Tucson gem and mineral shows were as low as $60 to $100 per carat. Because this source is largely worked out, the depressed price of these fine tourmalines is not likely to persist.
[Roger Dery 2011: [www.pricescope.com]]
Elbaite
Nigeria
Plateau State, Jos Plateau
Click here to view Best Minerals and here for Best Minerals tourmaline group minerals, here for Best Minerals chromium-dravite, here for chromo-alumino-povondraite, here for darellhenryite, here for dravite, here for elbaite, Afghanistan to Nigeria, here for elbaite, Pakistan to Zambia here for feruvite, here for fluor-buergerite here for fluor-dravite, here for fluor-elbaite, here for fluor-feruvite, here for fluor-liddicoatite, here for fluor-schorl, here for fluor-tsilaisite, here for fluor-uvite, here for foitite, here for liddicoatite, here for luinaite-(OH), here for magnesiofoitite, here for olenite, here for oxy-chromium-dravite, here for oxy-dravite, here for oxy-rossmanite, here for oxy-schorl, here for oxy-vanadium-dravite, here for povondraite, here for rossmanite, here for schorl, here for tsilaisite and here for uvite, and here for vanadio-oxy-chromium-dravite and here for vanadio-oxy-dravite. Click here for Best Minerals T and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.
[First draft complete on 3/30/2013 Rock Currier]
We would like to thank George Holloway for proofreading this article.
Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
Edited 91 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2013 08:20AM by Rock Currier.
Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?
Elbaite: Trigonal: Elbaite-Liddicoatite Series, Dravite-Elbaite Series, and the Elbaite-Schorl Series
Na(Li 1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
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| Elbaite & Quartz, Queen Mine, Pala, San Diego Co., California, USA ~17cm wide | © J.Ralph |
Elbaite provides more eye candy for mineral collectors than in any other tourmaline group mineral, possibly more than all of the other tourmaline group minerals combined. When looking at the specimens pictured below, keep in mind that tourmaline group mineral names can not be assigned by color only and can be accurately given only after careful analysis. Usually the reason the name elbaite has been assigned to the specimens below is because one or two specimens from the locality have been analysed, and on the strength of that analysis, it is assumed that other similar looking tourmaline crystals from that locality are also elbaite. Very few if any of the specimens shown below have actually been analysed, and it is not likely that most of them ever will be because the owners of them are reluctant to have them cut open and analysed. A few of the specimens below have been labeled elbaite/schorl indicating that the crystal contains both elbaite & schorl in the same crystal. Also keep in mind that photographers and editors seeking to increase the appeal of their "product" play lighting games with these specimens and use programs like Photoshop to enhance their colors. Some of the beautiful specimens pictured below would be much less attractive in hand than they appear in their pictures. Like centerfold models in Playboy magazine, many of the specimens pictured below are substantially less attractive in real life.
Most tourmaline crystals, especially elbaite, are found as single crystals and much more rarely as good matrix specimens, doubly terminated crystals or as clusters of intergrown terminated crystals. So collectors tend to favor those over just single crystals. Tourmaline sometimes comes associated with crystals of minerals other than quartz, mica and albite, and those combinations are particularly sought after by collectors.
Mindat currently [Jan 2013] lists 506 localities for elbaite. Historically, perhaps the specimens from Elba Italy were the most desirable. Then good specimens were found in Russia, Maine and San Diego, California, USA followed by abundant localities in Brazil, Madagascar and other places. The Handbook of Mineralogy lists the largest crystal of elbaite as being 1.6 meters long. Crystals of red elbaite tourmaline (rubellite) to about a meter long, and are thought to be the best specimens of this species, have been found at the Jonas mine near Conselheiro Peña in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The two great specimens from this find are currently in a private mineral collection in the United States. Although we do not currently have any images of these amazing specimens in our database, the pictures that we do have will give the viewer a hint of what the really great ones look like. Other localities in Brazil have produced a large number of amazingly fine tourmaline specimens and some of the large but almost always repaired specimens from the Pederneira mine look like they came from outer space. Other sought after elbaites are from San, Diego County, California, USA, particularly those from the Queen mine at Pala and the Himalaya mine near Mesa Grande. The best specimens from the giant pegmatites in Afghanistan have also produced remarkable tourmalines. Which are the best? Well, that you must decide.
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Konar Province (Kunar Province; Konarh Province; Konarha Province; Nuristan)
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| Elbaite & Quartz 9cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite, Quartz, Albite 9cm tall | © Knut Eldjarn |
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| Elbaite 7.9cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 7.5cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 6.1cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 4.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Konar Province (Kunar Province; Konarh Province; Konarha Province; Nuristan), Chapa Dara District, Dara-i-Pech (Darra-i-Pech; Darra-e-Pech; Pech; Peech; Page) pegmatite field
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| 8.1cm | © Lavinsky |
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| 8.4cm | © Lavinsky |
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| 4.4cm | © Lavinsky |
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| 9.3cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 8.4cm tall | © fabreminerals.com |
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| Elbaite 8.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 3.6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite, Spodumene 5.5cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 9.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 6cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Topaz 7.5cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.6cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 8.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Albite 12.3cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 4.5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Afghanistan is a somewhat remote country. The area in the north of the country where the gem producing pegmatites are found is particularly remote. For much of their recent history, the region has been governed by war lords rather than the central government in Kabul. This makes travel and trade in the area particularly difficult. During the Russian occupation, Russian geologists made the first modern professional assessments of the pegmatites in the 1960s. Their descriptions of the pegmatites and their huge size and richness are amazing. There are no roads to many of the pegmatites and even today, many of them are accessible only by foot paths and may require a day or more of walking to reach them. Specimens from these pegmatites first reached the bazaars in Kabul where they were sold now and then to a few foreigners who happened by. One story is told of an American dealer who taped more than 100 tourmaline crystals to his body in order to get them past the local customs and out of the country. During the Russian occupation most of the material was smuggled across the border to Peshawar, Pakistan which quickly became and still is today the center for the Afghanistan and Pakistani gemstone and specimen trade. This is likely to remain the case untill peace returns to Afghanistan and it becomes possible for people to travel freely with goods in the country, something I don't think I will see in my lifetime. Initially most of the tourmalines were broken from their matrix and placed, without wrapping, into sacks to make it easier to carry them across the mountains into Pakistan. How many good matrix specimens were destroyed in this process is anyone's guess, but certainly not less than a few tons.
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Konar Province (Kunar Province; Konarh Province; Konarha Province; Nuristan), Dara-i-Pech District (Pech District), Manogay (Mano Gai; Manugie; Managi)
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| Elbaite on Quartz 12cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Laghman Province (Lagman Province; Nuristan)
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| Elbaite on Quartz 10cm wide | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 8cm tall | © 2001 John H. Betts |
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| Elbaite 10cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 8.7cm tall | © J.Scovil |
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| Elbaite, Quartz & Albite 8.6cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 7cm tall | © Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals |
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Nuristan Province (Nurestan Province; Nooristan Province; Nuristan), Du Ab District, Nilaw-Kolum pegmatite field, Mawi pegmatite
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| Elbaite 8cm long | © 2006, Jesse Fisher |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 6.8cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.2cm tall | © Dan Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 8.4cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Afghanistan
Nuristan Province (Nurestan Province; Nooristan Province; Nuristan), Kamdesh District, Paprok Mine (Papruk Mine; Paprowk Mine)
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| Elbaite, Quartz & Albite 8cm wide | © 2002, Jesse Fisher |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 8.2cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 8.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite on Microcline 5.3cm wide | © finestminerals |
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| Elbaite 19.3cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 17.3cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 16.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite on Quartz 12cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite, Quartz etc. 9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 8.5cm tall | © Oleg Lopatkin |
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| Elbaite 11cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 14cm long | © Oleg Lopatkin |
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| Elbaite 6.8cm wide | © Carles Millan |
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| Elbaite 8.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 8.6cm long | © Lopatkin Oleg |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 14.6cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite | © J.Ralph |
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| Elbaite 9.8cm | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 10cm | © Carles Millan |
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| Elbaite 12.2cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.5cm wide | © Weinrich Minerals, Inc. |
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| Elbaite, Quartz & Albite 8.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 14.5cm wide | © J.Scovil |
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| Elbaite, Quartz & Albite 21cm wide | © J.Scovil |
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| Elbaite, Albite & Quartz 12.6cm wide | © J.Scovil |
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| Elbaite & Albite 7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.7cm tall | © Carles Millan |
Elbaiite
Australia
South Australia, Kangaroo Island, Dudley Peninsula, Penneshaw, Dudley pegmatite
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| Elbaite 1.4cm tall | © Patrick Gundersen |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Água Boa, Benedito mine
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| Elbaite & Quartz 12.4cm tall | © J.Scovil |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Conselheiro Pena, Ferruginha, Sapo mine
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| Elbaite 4.4cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Conselheiro Pena, Jonas Mine (João Pinto mine)
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| Elbaite & Albite ~10cm | © Albert Russ |
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| Elbaite & Lepidolite 9.2cm | © J.Scovil |
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| Elbaite 12cm wide | © Renee Teresa Polityka |
When the big pocket of rubellite crystals at the Jonas mine was discovered in 1978 it was a sensation and specimens from the mine were sold at very high prices. They were found was a walk-in size pocket and the specimens were found so clean they did not need to be cleaned with acid. The miners called the pocket the bamboo pocket. The best and largest specimens from the pocket were purchased by an American collector for what, at the time, seemed like an incredible amount of money. One of the crystals from the pocket was about a meter in length and many of the crystals had substantial gem value. The best specimens from this discovery are rated by some as the best and most valuable mineral specimens ever found. None of the very good specimens are pictured above, but the modest specimens from the pocket that are shown here will hint at how fine the best ones are.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Governador Valadares, Golconda pegmatite
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| Elbaite 4.5cm tall | © Betts |
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| Elbaite 4cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite ~13cm tall | © J. Wingard |
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| Elbaite 10cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
A classical locality for tourmaline. This mine produced some of the best and every collector would love to have a good one from this mine.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Governador Valadares, Golconda pegmatite, Golconda III Mine
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Itambacuri, Santa Rosa mine
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| Elbaite 4.5cm | © fabre |
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| Elbaite 3.6cm | © fabre |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, São José da Safira, Chiar mine
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| Elbaite 12.3cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 4.1cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 12cm tall | © DSW 2010 |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, São José da Safira, Cruzeiro mine
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| Elbaite 8.8cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 9.6cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 26.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 7.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 6.2cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 7.7cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 4cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 9.2cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.1cm wide | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 4.1cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 4cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Quartz ~12cm wide | © |
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| Elbaite 4.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 4.2cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 11.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 10cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite ~6cm tall | © |
The Cruzeiro mine has been mined for many years and is a big one with numerous workings. Some of the specimens from this mine are wonderful, but many specimens are not very pretty, with colors grading from dark olive green to black. On my one visit to the mine in the 1980s, just after a big pocket of tourmaline had been found, I was shown two rooms full of specimens, all of them a dark olive green and all of which had suffered a lot of damage. I got to visit the underground pocket they came from and it was a good size room. There were still a lot of little areas in the walls that could have been worked for more specimens, and I wished I had some tools and a couple of days to dig there, but it gave me a taste of what other parts of the mine must have been like when other big pockets were encountered.
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, São José da Safira, Pederneira claim
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| Elbaite 4.7cm tall | © Trinity Mineral |
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| Elbaite 14 cm tall | © Lueg |
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| Elbiate 13cm tall | © Sarah Sudcowsky |
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| Elbaite, Quartz, Albite 70cm wide | © Van King |
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| Elbaite, Quartz, Albite 21cm wide | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 14cm | © |
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| Elbaite & Albite 17cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 9.5cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Lepidolite 35cm tall | © Polityka |
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| Elbaite 10.3cm wide | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 13.8cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Albite 17.5cm wide | © R. Lang 2009 |
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| Elbaite 5.9cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite on Quartz 25.3cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 14.5cm | © Lavinsky |
When these specimens were found, several high end dealers competed to get them. Many of the larger specimens were damaged and had to be reconstructed. This this was done with considerable skill and I am sure that in the process the art of repairing and enhancing specimens was improved. Some of the specimens have ten or more repairs on them, but although the repairs were disclosed to customers, it seems not to have detracted from the value of the specimens. When a specimen gets good enough, repairs don't seem to affect the price at all.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha Valley, Coronel Murta
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| Elbaite 5.5cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite, Albite, Lepidolite 7.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 7.8cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 6.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 11.5cm tall | © J.Scovil |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha Valley, Coronel Murta, Barra de Salinas
 | |
| Elbaite ~30cm tall | © Albert Russ |
The Barra de Salinas mine has produced very many fine specimens and I am surprised that more of them are not pictured here on Mindat. Perhaps the best known and desired by collectors are the bi-colored tourmaline "scepters" with pink/red heads and green stems. The ones we have here are in fact not all that good compared to the best from this locality.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha Valley, Coronel Murta, Barra de Salinas, Barra de Salinas district
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| Elbaite 4cm tall | © fabre |
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| Elbaite & Lepidolite 10.8cm wide | © fabre |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Coronel Murta, Terra Corrida claim (Baixão claim)
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| Elbaite 10.1cm | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Monte Belo, Pirineus claim
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| Elbaite 4.6cm tall | © fabre |
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| Elbaite 4.7cm tall | © fabre |
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| Elbaite 4.9cm wide | © fabre |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Monte Belo, Urubu mine (Vulture mine; Uruba mine)
 | |
| Elbaite 3.9cm tall | © 2005 SLR |
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| Elbaite on Orthoclase 13cm wide | © Martins da Pedra |
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| Elbaite & Lepidolite 5.4cm wide | © Eric Graff |
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| Elbaite 6.3cm tall | © |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Taquaral, Baixão mine
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| Elbaite 3.6cm wide | © www.mwminerals.com |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Itinga, Teixerinha mine
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| Elbaite on Microcline 5.2cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite,,Lepidolite 5.2cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite ~4.5cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Virgem da Lapa
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| Elbaite 14.6cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 9.4cm | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 12.7cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 11.9cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.8cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 7cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 6.2cm tall | © fabre |
This mine is better known for the wonderful blue topaz crystals it produces, but, as you can see, it has also produced good specimens of tourmaline.
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Virgem da Lapa, Manoel Mutuca Mine
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| Elbaite 6.1cm tall | © Lopatkin Oleg |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Marilac, Veadinho claims (Viadinho claims)
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| Elbaite 8.7cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 8.5cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 5.4cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite on Quartz 7.7cm wide | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Santa Maria do Suaçui
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| Elbaite 8.4cm tall | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Brazil
Minas Gerais, São Sebastião do Maranhão
Frequently tourmaline is associated with quartz, albite and lepidolite, but sometimes it occurs with good crystals of other, more uncommon minerals. Here is an example of tourmaline associated with herderite. Combination specimens always bring a high price and are cherished by knowledgeable collectors.
Elbaite
Brazil
Paraíba, Borborema mineral province, Salgadinho, São José da Batalha, Batalha mine
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| Elbaite 3.2cm tall | © fabre |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 5.2cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 2cm wide | © fabre |
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| Elbaite 1.6cm tall | © J.Scovil |
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| Elbaite 1.1cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 2.4cm tall | © Lavinsky |
Although these specimens don't appear to be all that wonderful compared to others from Brazil, copper give them their particularly attractive blue and green colors, and when faceted, they make exceptionally beautiful and valuable gems. Here are a few of the natural crystals from the deposit that have been saved from the cutters wheel.
Elbaite
Burma (Myanmar)
Mandalay Division, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Mogok Township
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| Elbaite & Schorl 3cm tall | © Sarah Sudcowsky |
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| Elbaite 3.5cm tall | © Sarah Sudcowsky |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 3.7cm tall | © Danny Jones |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 6.1cm | © Carles Millan |
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| Elbaite on feldspar 3.5cm wide | © Safaa Yu |
Tourmaline from Burma has been known of for a long time. There is one fine specimen in the British Museum for which a huge price was paid back in the late 1800s. More recently many specimens that look a little like pink mushrooms have been trickling out of Burma. These crystals are not all elbaite and some, if not most of them also contain Schorl and olenite in their structures.
Elbaite
Burma (Myanmar)
Mandalay Division, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Singu Township, Letpanhla
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| Elbaite & Albite 5.7cm tall | © Henry Minot 2008 |
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| Elbaite & Albite 4.3cm wide | © Eric Graff |
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| Elbaite, Quartz, Stibiotantalite 12.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Burma
Mandalay Division, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Singu Township, Letpanhla, Marla
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| Elbaite 3.5cm wide | © Dr. Perry Silver |
Elbaite
Burma
Shan State, Kyaukme District, Momeik Township
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| Elbaite 3cm wide | © 2008 Dr. M. Lueg |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 3cm tall | © Eric Graff |
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| Elbaite 3.2cm wide | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 4.6cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 4.4cm wide | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 12.5cm wide | © Weinrich Minerals Inc. |
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| Elbaite on feldspar 5cm tall | © David J. Eicher |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5.5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Burma
Shan State, Kyaukme District, Momeik Township, Molo quarter, Khetchel village (Cache village; Khat Che village), Palelni mine
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| Elbaite 3cm tall | © fabre |
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| Elbaite on Calcite 4.8cm tall | © fabre |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 5.5cm wide | © fabre |
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| Elbaite & Quartz 4.2cm wide | © fabre |
Elbaite
Canada
Northwest Territories, O'Grady Lake area, Stargazer Claim
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| Elbaite & Quartz ~6cm tall | © jonathan levinger |
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| 2.5cm Elbaite on matrix | © jonathan levinger |
Elbaite
China
Xinjiang (Xinjiang-Uygur) Autonomous Region, Yili Hasake (Ili Kazakh) Autonomous Prefecture, Aletai (Altay) Prefecture
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| Elbaite on Quartz 9cm tall | © fabre |
Elbaite
Germany
Saxony, Limbach-Oberfrohna, Pegmatite occurrences, Bräunsdorf
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| Elbaite1.2cm tall | © Lars Epple |
This is a small specimen, but quite remarkable in that one does not think of Germany as producing nice tourmaline specimens.
Elbaite
India
Jammu and Kashmir
 | |
| Elbaite 12.7cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 9.5cm | © Weinrich |
Elbaite
India
Jammu and Kashmir, Ladhak
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| Elbaite 8.6cm long | © fabre |
Elbaite
Italy
Lombardy, Brescia Province, Adamello-Brenta Natural Park, Adamello Massif, Mt. Foppa, Forcel Rosso Pass
 | |
| Elbaite & Albite 3cm wide | © Sarah Sudcowsky |
Elba may be the first locality that was particularly noted for its tourmalines and the species is named after this island off the coast of Italy. We don't have many pictures of good ones here, but undoubtedly as time passes, more and better ones will be uploaded to Mindat. Particularly classic are those that the Germans called morenkopf (black head). These are crystals of colored tourmaline, often pink and green with black tips. I was thrilled when I got my first undamaged matrix specimen from this classic locality, but over the years, so many fine tourmalines from other localities have been found that today it looks a little drab in comparison.
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Italy
Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Campo nell'Elba, San Piero in Campo, Fonte del Prete
 | |
| Elbaite & Quartz 8.1cm wide | © Chinellato Matteo |
Elbaite
Italy
Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Campo nell'Elba, Sant'Ilario in Campo, Catri
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| Elbaite & Quartz 5.5cm | © Chinellato |
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| Elbaite 3 & 3.7cm tall | © Chinellato |
Elbaite
Italy
Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Campo nell'Elba, Sant'Ilario in Campo, Catri, Easter Vein
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| Elbaite, Fluorapatite, Albite 2cm tall | © Sudcowsky |
Elbaite
Madagascar
Antananarivo Province, Vakinankaratra Region, Betafo District, Andrembesoa Commune, Ampanivana area, Ampanivana pegmatite
 | |
| Elbaite 6cm tall | © Weinrich |
Madagascar has produced many fine specimens of tourmaline for more than 100 years. Most of the pegmatites that produce tourmaline crystals are deeply weathered, so that the matrix upon which the crystals grew, (mostly feldspar) has turned into clay and as a result you rarely ever see matrix specimens of tourmaline from Madagascar. When better analytical instrumentation became available to mineralogists they found that not all tourmalines were the same, and their new instruments allowed a better understanding of the structure of tourmaline and the arrangement of especially the light elements in their structure. Many of the crystals of tourmaline from Madagascar because of their somewhat different composition and structure were given the name of liddicoatite rather than elbaite. However, it is likely that at least some of the Madagascar elbaites pictured here are really liddicoatite.
Elbaite
Madagascar
Antananarivo Province, Vakinankaratra Region, Sahatany Pegmatite Field (Mt Ibity area)
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| Elbaite 4.7cm tall | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Madagascar
Antananarivo Province, Vakinankaratra Region, Sahatany Pegmatite Field (Mt Ibity area), Sahatany Valley
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| Elbaite 7.9cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 7.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 4.2 cm tall | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Madagascar
Fianarantsoa Province, Matsiatra Region, Ikalamavony Pegmatite Field
 | |
| Elbaite 4.7cm tall | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Mexico
Baja California (Baja California Norte; BC Norte)
 | |
| Elbaite 2.2cm tall | © Lavinsky |
The pegmatites of Baja California, Norte have produced a few decent specimens of tourmaline. Some finds may be made in the future, but a quick walk around the localities showed lots of small pegmatites but little promise of new finds. But nevertheless collectors in the Southwest cherish the few modest specimens they have been able to get..
[Rock Currier 2013]
Elbaite
Mexico
Baja California (Baja California Norte; BC Norte), Mun. de Ensenada, El Socorro, Delicias Mine
 | |
| Elbaite, largest 2.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Alto Ligonha District
 | |
| Elbaite 5.5cm | © Da Pedra |
 | |
| Elbaite 5.2cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 8.1cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite,Quartz 8.2cm | © Weinrich |
 | |
| Elbaite 8.7cm tall | © Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite 5cm tall | © Weinrich |
 | |
| Elbaite 5.3cm tall | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite 5.6cm tall | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite 8cm wide | © Rui Nunes 2006 |
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Alto Ligonha District, Muiâne pegmatite
 | |
| Elbaite 6.5cm tall | © da Pedra |
 | |
| Elbaite 5cm tall | © Edelmin |
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| Elbaite 6cm tall | © Edelmin |
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| Elbaite 8.7cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 4.8cm tall | © Weinrich |
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Alto Ligonha District, Naipa mine
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| Elbaite 3.3cm tall | © Weinrich |
Elbaite
Mozambique
Zambezia Province, Namitála
 | |
| Elbaite 5.9cm | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Karibib District, Otjimbingwe Farm 104
 | |
| Elbaite 9cm | © Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Karibib District, Otjua Farm 37, Otjua Mine
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| Elbaite 5.2cm | © Rizzo |
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| Elbaite 4.9cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite 4.5cm tall | © 2007 Jesse Fisher |
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| Elbaite 3.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Elbaite, largest 2.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite,Quartz 12.5cm | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite 3cm tall | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite,Apatite 5.5cm | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite,Lepidolite 9cm | © Weinrich |
 | |
| Elbaite,Lepidolite 9.7cm | © J.Scovil |
 | |
| Elbaite & Albite 7.4cm wide | © Weinrich |
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Karibib District, Usakos
 | |
| Elbiate 8cm long | © Debbie Woolf |
Elbaite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Omaruru District
 | |
| Elbaite 7.8cm tall | © Weinrich |
Elbaite
Nepal
Kosi Zone (Koshi Zone), Sankhuwasabha District (Sankhuwa Sahba; Shankuwa-Sava), Hyakule
 | |
| Elbaite 5.5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbiate 7cm tall | © Weinrich |
 | |
| Elbaite 5.2cm tall | © Weinrich |
Nepal, Kosi Zone (Koshi Zone), Sankhuwasabha District (Sankhuwa Sahba; Shankuwa-Sava), Sonomla (Sunamla)
 | |
| Elbaite 4.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Elbaite
Nigeria
Oyo State, Ofiki
 | |
| Elbaite 5.2cm tall | © Weinrich |
 | |
| Elbaite 3.2cm tall | © Weinrich |
Elbaite
Nigeria
Oyo State, Ogbomosho (Ogbomoso)
 | |
| Elbaite 5.7cm tall | © 2008 Jesse Fisher |
In the summer of 1998 a new tourmaline deposit was discovered in a farming area 25 miles from the city of Ibadan, Nigeria, near the border with Benin. Gem dealers have noted that this is one of the finer discoveries of tourmaline in many years. The deposit is alluvial in nature; many of the tourmaline crystals have a frosted skin resulting from natural abrasion and weathering. Other crystals have sharp terminations indicating that they have not traveled far from their original source. The crystals were found under a relatively shallow overburden of soil (about six feet), and the deposit stretched for about 1000 meters. A flood of miners rapidly moved into the area and removed over 1,000 kilograms of fine tourmaline. The worn tourmaline crystals show very good clarity and range in color from pale pink to raspberry pink, to orangish pink to burgundy red. Some of the crystals show distinct color zoning (see above). The fashionable colors, combined with the remarkable clarity and size of the rough gem material, have made this tourmaline a hit with gemstone dealers and the public. Because of the large supply of material, average prices for faceted stones at the 1998 Tucson gem and mineral shows were as low as $60 to $100 per carat. Because this source is largely worked out, the depressed price of these fine tourmalines is not likely to persist.
[Roger Dery 2011: [www.pricescope.com]]
Elbaite
Nigeria
Plateau State, Jos Plateau
 | |
| Elbaite 4.3cm | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite 5.5cm tall | © Weinrich |
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| Elbaite 7cm | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite, largest 5cm tall | © Lavinsky |
 | |
| Elbaite 7.8cm tall | © Lavinsky |
Click here to view Best Minerals and here for Best Minerals tourmaline group minerals, here for Best Minerals chromium-dravite, here for chromo-alumino-povondraite, here for darellhenryite, here for dravite, here for elbaite, Afghanistan to Nigeria, here for elbaite, Pakistan to Zambia here for feruvite, here for fluor-buergerite here for fluor-dravite, here for fluor-elbaite, here for fluor-feruvite, here for fluor-liddicoatite, here for fluor-schorl, here for fluor-tsilaisite, here for fluor-uvite, here for foitite, here for liddicoatite, here for luinaite-(OH), here for magnesiofoitite, here for olenite, here for oxy-chromium-dravite, here for oxy-dravite, here for oxy-rossmanite, here for oxy-schorl, here for oxy-vanadium-dravite, here for povondraite, here for rossmanite, here for schorl, here for tsilaisite and here for uvite, and here for vanadio-oxy-chromium-dravite and here for vanadio-oxy-dravite. Click here for Best Minerals T and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.
[First draft complete on 3/30/2013 Rock Currier]
We would like to thank George Holloway for proofreading this article.
Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
Edited 91 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2013 08:20AM by Rock Currier.
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Updated Mineral Entry: CombarbaliteFrom David Von Bargen, 19th Jun 2013 16:43:01