Paraíba Tourmaline

An electrifying blue-to-green coloured, gemmy, variety of cuprian elbaite.

In mineralogical terms, Paraiba Tourmaline should refer only to tourmaline from the original source, Paraíba, Brazil.

However, the name has an extended use through the gem trade to include similar electric-blue tourmalines (where the colour is caused by trace copper) from other sources in Brazil, Mozambique, Nigeria, etc.

Note - some stones, on TV shopping channels for example, have been labelled as Paraíba Tourmaline, but appear on screen to be ordinary green tourmaline. This may simply be a problem with the reproduction of the colour over TV, but buyers should beware, only tourmaline with a genuine Electric blue or blue-green colour should with any honesty be called by this name.