ELBAITE
Specimen elb-66x

Dims: 4-1/4" x 3-1/2" x 2"

Wt: 13.8 oz

Northwestern Frontier Province, Pakistan

This piece, being from Pakistan, is almost a gem-quality specimen by default. The star attractions are pink Elbaite Tourmalines, which are scattered randomly over a surface of Albite Feldspar. These tourmalines can actually fall under the category of "Watermelon Tourmalines," because their color comes from a pink core which is surrounded by a more colorless layer. Personally, I think that the crystals on the bottom of the specimen are even more interesting- there are some excellent and unusual terminations there. All one would need is a steel dental probe to clean them up!

Dims: 2-1/2" x 2" x 1-1/2"

Wt: 5.1 oz

Northwestern Frontier Province, Pakistan

Another Pakistani specimen, this piece is loaded with dark, blue-green crystals that can reach up to 2 inches long in a Pegmatitite matrix. Two or three of the larger crystals show the "watermelon effect," with pink cores that show a lot of internal fracturing. The smaller crystals are all monocolored and very clear, with some showing good terminations, if a little rough. There is also a small amount of Lepidolite Mica. This is a really beautiful specimen that shows a lot of contrast.

Dims: 3-1/2" x 3" x 2"

Wt: 14.2 oz

Minas Gerais, Brazil

The main attraction of this specimen is a 2-1/4-inch-long specimen of Watermelon Tourmaline with magnificent green and red color. This one crystal is unusual in the fact that it did not start to crumble as it was exposed from its Smoky Quartz and Albite matrix. Next to it is a partial crystal of watermelon that is heavily crumbled, showing no distinct crystal form. There are also a few slender green Tourmaline crystals. This is my favorite specimen of our Tourmaline selection- that one crystal of watermelon does it all!

Dims: 3" x 2-3/4" x 2"

Wt: 9.4 oz

Northwestern Frontier Province, Pakistan

Another Pakistani specimen, and this one is special! The crest of this piece is adorned with a dozen beautiful green, gem quality tourmaline crystals. There are another dozen (or more) imperfect and partial crystals. Most of the crystals are 0.3" to 0.5" long, and about 1/8" in diameter. The largest crystal is on the back of the specimen and is 1/2" long and about 3/16" wide, and is also gem quality. And to top it off, the light brown matrix provides a good contrast and presents the crystals nicely.

Dims: 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 1"

Wt: 3.7 oz

Minas Gerais, Brazil

I suppose that this specimen could be described as a single crystal of Elbaite Tourmaline. Though it has no actual termination(s), it is reminiscent of a Watermelon Tourmaline cross-section, with a green layer curving around a wine-colored core. Its circumference is heavily striated and transparent up to a variable depth, wherein one can see much internal fracturing. Though not really spectacular, there's something about this specimen that I just like...

Dims: 3-1/2" x 3" x 2"

Wt: 1 lb., 4 oz

Minas Gerais, Brazil

I'm ashamed to say that there are a few nuances to this specimen that I don't know much about. It is classic dark green Elbaite, so dark that I had to bathe it in halogen light to see its translucence. There is a seam where the crystal's growing conditions must have abruptly altered, and there is a small portion of pink Elbaite on the side away from the crystal's termination. The crystal's circumference is typically striated from the seam to the termination, and according to some writing that Dave put on an accompanying paper, this specimen possesses a "pedion termination with one face of a trigonal pyramid." I'll have to find out exactly what a "pedion termination" is. Fie on me! Oh well, it's a wonderful, large specimen that you should see to appreciate!

Dims: 0.45" x 0.3" x 0.45"(1.1 x 0.8 x 1.1 cm)

Wt: 1.6 g. w/ foam base

Cambodia

This specimen consists of a single hexagonal crystal of chromium Elbaite tourmaline that is glued to a foam base which fits into a plastic specimen box. Needless to say, its color is a deep green that has a bit too much yellow in it to qualify as an "emerald green". Its form is excellent, and except for a spot on one side where the specimen was separated from another crystal, it is complete. The faces have surprisingly subtle striations running along their lengths, as do the faces of the shallow trigonal pyramidal termination, lending to its vitreous luster. It has good translucence, but is filled with internal fractures that prevent any transparency. It is a splendid little thumbnail, though, coming from an area that is much better known for its corundum production.

Dims: 0.58" x 0.44" x 0.38"(1.5 x 1.1 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 2.4 g. w/ foam base

Cambodia

This little thumbnail specimen pleases me greatly! It is a crystal of chrome Elbaite tourmaline, with very good form and a beautiful, near-emerald-green color. It has very subtle striations along all of its crystal faces, which helps it exhibit its vitreous luster. Though containing many internal fractures, one can see them quite clearly in some areas, denoting at least partial transparence. The termination is somewhat complex, with several shallow trigonal pyramidal terminations visible. The specimen is really doubly-terminated; the other termination is only partly visible, as part of it is covered with the glue holding it to the foam. I may just have to buy this one from Steve and Doris if they'll let me.

Dims: 1.19" x 0.56" x 0.44"(3.0 x 1.4 x 1.1 cm)

Wt: 6.3 g

Himalaya Mine, Mesa Grande, California, U.S.A.

This lovely little thumbnail consists of a single crystal of bicolored Elbaite. It has a complex trigonal prismatic shape due to some growth-related oddities and a pale, pastel-pink coloration along its terminations that fades to a pale green. It has heavy striations along its prism faces and a complex variation of a shallow trigonal pyramidal termination, with several small terminations that end in spots along the prism. The main faces of the largest termination have a waxy luster, whereas all other faces on the crystal have a vitreous luster. There are two odd little "tunnels" tha stab down through the main termination into the crystal about 1/2"(1 cm). The crystal itself is quite clear, enabling one to see a few tiny inclusions or internal fractures inside. It is, however, a gem-quality specimen out of which one could conceivably cut a stone or two.

Dims: 1.3" x 0.5" x 0.5"(3.3 x 1.3 x 1.3 cm)

Wt: 14.0 g

Aracuai, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This specimen consists of a single crystal of pale red Elbaite tourmaline with good form and a small amount of damage. It occurs in the form of a hexagonal prism with heavy striations, and is topped with a shallow trigonal pyramid that is cut short by a rather large, triangular basal face. There are two small patches of damage on the edge that separates the prism from the termination, but they don't interfere with the crystal's form. One rather heavy, uneven crack runs through it perpendicular to the prism length, but it is not broken. There is a thin band of pale green coloration about 0.5"(1 cm) below the termination, which is rather rough due to heavy striating, and has a dull luster. The prism faces, though also striated, have the standard vitreous luster of tourmaline. The crystal is transparent, though it is heavily internally fractured, so cutting stones out of it is not feasible. It is, however, a good size from which to make a large pendant.

Dims: 0.8" x 0.4" x 0.4"(2.0 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 3.5 g

Aracuai, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This bi-colored Elbaite crystal has a trait to it that I have never seen before. It has the standard hexagonal prismatic form with the equally common shallow, trigonal pyramidal termination, and is in very good condition, with only a few minor "dings", mainly near or on the termination. Its prism faces are heavily striated, but the entire crystal has a vitreous luster and is transparent but heavily internally fractured. The lower half of the crystal is a moderate pink color, and its upper half is a rather deep green with a hint of blue. What confuses me about this specimen is the abruptness of the color change. There is an uneven line that seems to represent a crack running at an angle through the crystal; on one side of this line, the crystal is pink, and on the other side, it is green. There is no transitional coloration whatsoever! This crystal would make an exceptional pendant.

Dims: 0.8" x 0.4" x 0.4"(2.0 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 3.5 g

Aracuai, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This particular Elbaite crystal is bi-colored, but seems to have 3 or 4 definable colors in it. It is colored a moderate pink at its base, and fades to a thin transitional yellow before changing to a bright green color. This bright green almost instantly deepens to the darker, blue-green coloration that takes up about half of the crystal. The only damage that I see is due to natural wear on the crystal that occurred before it was separated from its place of origin. Its prism faces are quite striated, and the entire crystal has a vitreous luster and is transparent, though heavily internally fractured. It is in the form of a hexagonal prism with a shallow trigonal pyramidal termination, which is quite common for Elbaite, but there is an anomaly; a round hole about 2 mm in diameter penetrates the crystal from its termination. This round hole is about 0.2"(5 mm) deep.

Dims: 1.1" x 0.3" x 0.3"(2.8 x 0.8 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 2.5 g

Afghanistan

A single, bi-colored crystal constitutes this specimen. It has a rather flattened, rounded trigonal prismatic shape and is topped by a shallow trigonal pyramidal termination. Though a bit warped and unusual, there is a definite termination at the crystal's base, too. It appears that a "sheath" grew over a small crystal, enveloping all but a portion of its base, which interrupted the growth of the second termination. I didn't know that this crystal was double-terminated until I was examining it to write this description! It has the standard vitreous luster of tourmaline, and has excellent transparence with very few visible internal fractures or flaws. It is colored an olive-greenish at its "base", becoming a pale blue about two-thirds up its prism length. A small band of blue material at the tip of the "base" termination tells me that I was right about this starting out as a small crystal that was covered over. I believe that a watermelon tourmaline effect will show up in a cross-section, with an olive-green core and a pale blue outer layer. Oh, yes, there is one more thing to talk about; a line of deeper blue coloration inside the crystal marks the end of the smaller, green crystal. This blue line is perpendicular to the crystal's length, but it slopes down near the outside of the crystal, creating a phantom of sorts. Maybe such phantoms are not uncommon in watermelon tourmalines, but this is the first time that I have seen one.

Dims: 5.5" x 3.5" x 1.8"(14.0 x 8.9 x 4.6 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 0.6 oz. (472 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This specimen consists of a section of a Brazilian pegmatite that has had a single, large, flat face ground into it and polished. This polished face makes it easy to see the cross-sections of several Elbaite tourmalines, including 3 very nice watermelon tourmalines, with green skins that cover red cores. All occur in the trigonal prismatic form with slightly curved prism faces that is common in tourmaline of all kinds. One can see in the cross-sections that all of the crystals are heavily internally fractured, so that even though their colors are deep and attractive, they are not worthy to be cut into gems. The largest of these Elbaite cross-sections measures 1.4 x 1.1" (3.6 x 2.8 cm), and is composed of rubellite, a pink-to-red colored variety. Due to their cutting and the size of the pegmatite host rock, none of these crystals exceeds 2" (5 cm) in length. Portions of some of the crystals are visible on the rough "underside" of the specimen. There is an interesting crust that coats a small portion of this rough area- from what I can gather, it appears to be made up of highly compact, amorphous muscovite! It has somewhat of a micaceous luster, but there is no evidence of cryastal form anywhere in the crust. It is as if molten mica filled a few crevices in the pegmatite after everything else formed. It is a beautiful specimen that might do best as an upright decoration, as it leans upright at about a 60- to 65-degree angle.

Dims: 1.5" x 1.5" x 1.4" (3.8 x 3.8 x 3.6 cm)

Wt: 2.41 oz. (68.5 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This particular specimen came out of a very large piece that a friend of mine bought and then acid-bathed. It consists of two pieces of Elbaite "watermelon" tourmaline that partially intersect each other at a 35- to 45-degree angle. They are both nearly identical in size and proportion, measuring about 1.3" (3.3 cm) long and 1.0" (2.5 cm) in diameter, and occur as portions of trigonal pyramidal crystals. Neither piece shows a natural termination, and both have breakage faces that show their multicolored cross-section. Each of them has a very dark green skin that surrounds a pale blue core, and both show faint translucence only near the breakage plane, so it is difficult to determine how intensely they are internally fractured. There is a crust that partially covers most of one of the crystals- it is made of almost microscopic muscovite platelets that are intergrown, mixed with more small, black tourmaline crystals.

Dims: 1.5" x 1.4" x 1.3" (3.8 x 3.6 x 3.3 cm)

Wt: 1.60 oz. (45.4 g)

Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan

Though rather small, this is really a beautiful specimen. It consists of a confusion of well-formed Elbaite watermelon tourmaline crystals that have a pale pink core surrounded by a shell of green material that has a tinge of blue. The cores are visible due to a substantial amount of damage that is mostly in the form of clean fractures across several crystals' basal planes, so that their terminations are missing; however, smaller, well-protected crystals in the cluster are intact and, well, show clean, flat basal terminations that top their trigonal prismatic forms. The largest of these crystals has visible dimensions of 0.5" (1.3 cm) long and 0.3" (0.8 cm) in diameter, and is damaged. All the crystals have well-developed prism faces that show a vitreous luster, and are fully transparent to nearly transparent as they increase in size. Accompanying the Elbaites are many small books of lepidolite mica that actually show some noticeable hexagonal tabular form! There are also some intergrown shards of thin albite crystals, most likely of the variety called cleavelandite. A slight bath in a strong vinegar or a mild (1-2 molar) HCl solution may clean off some of the very thin coatings that are stuck in the Elbaites' prismatic striations.

Dims: 1.6" x 0.9" x 0.9" (4.1 x 2.3 x 2.3 cm)

Wt: 20.5 g

Dak, Laghman Province, Afghanistan

This small piece consists of a single trigonal prismatic Elbaite crystal that is partially embedded in a host of crystalline quartz. The crystal's dimensions are 1.3 x 0.5 x 0.4" (3.3 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm), and it is in excellent condition, showing only a small amount of damage, though it does show a few partially-healed breaks. It has good form and is topped by the shallow trigonal pyramid that is standard for this mineral. Its faces are relatively clean and its edges are well-defined, which accentuate its vitreous luster. The lower 0.5" (1.3 cm) and upper 0.2" (0.5 cm) are colored a pale pink, whereas the remaining area in between has a pale green coloration. It is transparent and has areas of partial clarity, though most of it is clouded by inclusions, the healed-over breaks, and many internal fractures. There are a few bits of other crystals on the host which were likely broken during its harvest, and the quartz host itself shows at least 2 visible hexagonal prismatic crystals. They are cloudy and almost smoky in coloration.

Dims: 2.6" x 1.3" x 0.4" (6.6 x 3.3 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 12.3 g

Cruzeiro Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This rather simple specimen consists of two Elbaite crystals that intersect each other at about a 75-80-degree angle. Both are in excellent condition, showing little, if any, human-induced damage. The smaller crystal has dimensions of 1.2 x 0.2 x 0.1" (3.0 x 0.5 x 0.3 cm). Its termination is almost completely enveloped by its intersection with the larger crystal, whose dimensions are 2.6 x 0.6 x 0.4" (6.6 x 1.5 x 1.0 cm). The larger crystal is complete, and has a good hexagonal prismatic form; a cross-section of the lower half of the crystal shows the rounded triangular shape that is very common in tourmalines. The upper half of its length expands towards its almost plumose termination. Both crystals have a green color that shows a tinge of yellow and show moderate transparence and patches of good clarity amid the many internal fractures and other inclusions. The lower half of the larger crytstal's length shows an outer layer of green material that is surrounding a nearly colorless core, and so can be classified as watermelon tourmaline. I think that the smaller, intersecting crystal makes the specimen much more attractive than it would normally be.

Dims: 2.8" x 2.4" x 2.2" (7.1 x 6.1 x 5.6 cm)

Wt: 10.15 oz. (287.9 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This pretty specimen consists of a mass of albite, lepidolite, and muscovit ****** as they have an attractive, deep raspberry-red coloration with a hint of blue. All of them appear to be transparent and quite clear, and though most show internal fractures, there are some areas that would be suitable for faceting if one wanted to do so. I have a feeling that there are more crystals inside the matrix that have yet to be uncovered.

Dims: 0.9" x 0.7" x 0.4" (2.3 x 1.8 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 2.5 g

Golconda Mine, Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Though extremely small, this is one of the most attractive Elbaite specimens that I have seen in months! It consists of one crystal that is much larger than the others (0.8 x 0.2 x 0.2" or 2.0 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm) from which grow at least 5 other crystals. All have excellent trigonal prismatic form and show almost no damage. They all show a rather dull olive-green coloration and are transparent and moderately clear, containing many basal-oriented internal fractures. The largest crystal's color is deeper than the others, so a bright light is needed to see its transparence. Also attached to this crystal is a short, stubby quartz crystal. This crystal intersects the Elbaite at its midsection, and at almost a 90-degree angle. It has excellent hexagonal prismatic form that shows off its vitreous luster. It is colorless, transparent, and very clear, though it does contain a few visible inclusions. I have affixed it to the inside of a domed thimble box with a removable putty.

Dims: 2.8" x 1.6" x 1.3" (7.1 x 4.1 x 3.3 cm)

Wt: 2.42 oz. (68.8 g)

Cruzeiro Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil

The quartz crystal host of this specimen holds 3 undamaged and 4 damaged Elbaite crysals. The largest of these crystals has dimensions of 1.4 x 0.5 x 0.4" (3.5 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm) and shows reasonably good trigonal prismatic form, though its termination is a bit odd; it is flat and basal, but a small part of it grew beyond the main termination, so that there is somewhat of a "bi-level" effect. Like the other crystals, this one has a rather dark green color that has an almost olive tint to it. It seems that this dark green color is only evident on the crystals' prism surfaces, as the breakage planes on their bases show that their interiors have a much paler, blue-green coloration. All have a vitreous luster that is disseminated due to their concentrated lengthwise striations. The largest crystal is only moderately translucent due to intense internal fracturing and other inclusions, but the smaller crystals are clearer and show noticeable patches of clarity. The quartz host consists of several intergrown crystals that are generally incomplete but show excellent hexagonal prismatic form and almost no fresh damage. The visible faces are complex and clea, and show a bright, vitreous luster, and all crystalline edges between the faces are sharp and well-defined.

Dims: 2.5" x 1.6" x 0.8" (6.4 x 4.1 x 2.1 cm)

Wt: 27.9 g

Cruzeiro Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Though small, this specimen warrants some close examination. It basically consists of a flat shard of a broken quartz crystal into which are partially embedded 2 green Elbaite crystals, along with the shards of a broken Elbaite. The larger crystal has dimensions of 0.9 x 0.5 x 0.4" (2.3 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm) and the smaller crystal measures 0.4 x 0.3 x 0.2" (1.1 x 0.7 x 0.5 cm). Both are in pristine condition, showing no damage whatsoever, and have excellent trigonal prismatic form. The larger crystal's shallow pyramidal termination is naturally disjointed due to the crystal's almost fibrous and compact nature, whereas the smaller crystal's termination is enveloped by the quartz, and so cannot effectively be studied. Their almost fibrous appearance also makes their lusters appear silky instead of vitreous, except on their terminations. They have a forest-green color that has an olive-green tinge, and show some translucence/dim transparence along their prism edges. I believe that when cut, such material produces "cat's eye" stones. The quartz host consists of a portion of a crystal that broke off and underwent noticeable healing. Portions of one prism face and two termination faces are visible. The quartz is colorless, transparent and rather clear, though it does contain many visible cloudy inclusions.

Dims: 4.0" x 2.6" x 2.0" (10.2 x 6.6 x 5.1 cm)

Wt: 12.5 oz. (355 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This hand specimen consists of at least 8 Elbaite crystals that are partially embedded in a crystalline quartz host. These crystals reach lengths of up to 1.4" (3.6 cm) and show moderate to heavy damage. They have a reasonably good trigonal prismatic form where intact, but only one of them has a discernable shallow pyramidal termination. All have a moderate red coloration with a slight hint of violet and a vitreous luster. They are transparent and partially clear, but all are moderately to intensely internally-fractured. The quartz base rock shows evidence of two opposing crystal faces, but its hexagonal prismatic form is spoiled due to the Elbaite's intergrowth and that of many broken albite blades.

Dims: 3.3" x 2.9" x 1.7" (8.4 x 7.3 x 4.3 cm)

Wt: 9.13 oz. (258.9 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

At least 25 Elbaite crystals penetrate the lepidolite matrix of this hand specimen. Almost all of these show substantial breakage and are missing their terminations. There is one crystal, however, that shows excellent trigonal prismatic form and has a complete and intact basal termination that is truncated by secondary faces (see the close-up image). It is at least 0.8" (2 cm) in diameter and 0.3" (8 mm) in diameter, and has a vitreous luster. All of the crystals have a deep red coloration with a hint of violet, but the termination on the complete crystal has a very noticeable blue-green coloration at the surface. The lepidolite matrix in which they rest shows some evidence of crystal form, but most of the books that can be seen are damaged or incomplete due to intergrowth.

Dims: 4.3" x 4.2" x 3.1" (10.94 x 10.7 x 7.9 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 3.3 oz. (1.003 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

There are more Elbaite crystals in the quartz host rock of this specimen than I care to count- I would say that there are at least 50, and they are scattered randomly throughout the matrix. These crystals range in length and diameter from a few millimeters to 1 x 2" (2.5 x 5 cm). All are damaged and incomplete. The largest and most noticeable, however, appears to have been rounded and partially polished. It consists of a portion of a very large crystal whose diameter exceeded 2" (5 cm) and which consisted of "watermelon tourmaline", a variety wherein a red "core" was surrounded by a green "shell. Both the shell and the core are easily visible. The cross-section is slightly rounded and has a dull shine to it, whereas the visible prism areas have the standard crystalline faces and striations, and show a vitreous luster. Most are opaque, and a few are only dimly translucent at best. There is one other watermelon tourmaline visible on the matrix; all the other crystals are made of green tourmaline. Many of these show definite trigonal prismatic form. The quartz base is formless and dimly transparent at best, and is heavily internally-fractured.

Dims: 7.5 x 5.7 x 4.9" (19.1 x 14.8 x 12.4 cm)

Wt: 5.9 lbs. (2.7 kg)

Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan

Scores of trigonal prismatic Elbaite tourmaline crystals rest on the pegmatite host of this cabinet specimen. The largest of these has a visible length of 1.5" (3.8 cm) and a diameter of approximately 0.3" (8 mm). Almost all of them are broken or damaged, likely due to the mining of the specimen itself. Those that are intact are still partially or mostly embedded in the host rock. They have excellent form, with well-defined edges and striated but clean faces that possess the standard vitreous luster when they are not coated with other minerals. All have a lovely moderate green coloration with a tinge of blue, and are transparent and impressively clear. A few of the larger crystals may contain cloudy or veil-like inclusions, but internal flaws are mostly limited to basally-oriented internal fractures. There are more intact crystals present on the specimen than are immediately visible- this is due to the fact that many of them are covered with a thin crust of the pegmatite host. Besides the Elbaites, there are 3 smoky quartz crystals that are mostly embedded in the host- one of these is damaged, but the others appear to be intact and have good form.

Dims: 2.5 x 1.7 x 1.0" (6.4 x 4.3 x 2.5 cm)

Wt: 2.18 oz. (62.0 g)

Sabsir, Rondu District, Gilgit-Skardu Rd., Northern Areas, Pakistan

Two Elbaite crystals rest on the white host rock of this specimen. Both are in excellent condtion, showing no human-induced damage. Their trigonal prismatic form is excellent, showing the standard rounded triangular cross-section and subtly-patterned basal termainations. Their edges are well-defined and their faces are clean, possessing the obligatory vitreous luster. They are mostly colored a dark green that extends from their bases to a few millimeters beneath their terminations. This green color is so dark that one can see only a very dim translucence directly under a bright halogen light. The remaining 2 mm of each have a very subtle blue coloration and are transparent and quite clear. They are accompanied by 3 distinct herderite crystals that have good monoclinic form and are also in excellent condition. All rest on a base rock that is made up of both albite and very well-formed muscovite books.

Dims: 1.1 x 0.4 x 0.4" (2.8 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 5.9 g

Goiabrira Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This small thumbnail specimen consists of a single trigonal prismatic Elbaite tourmaline crystal. The crystal is in very good condition, though it does show a tiny spot of damage at its highest point, and has incomplete but reasonably good form. Its color is a moderately pale green-blue and its luster is vitreous. Though it is transparent, the crystal is also very heavily internally-fractured and has very little clarity. It is partly covered with many tiny intergrown lepidolite "books" that do not exceed 0.1" (3 mm) in diameter and are moderately well-formed. There is no host rock present.

Dims: 1.2 x 0.4 x 0.3" (3.0 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 4.4 g

Sao Jose do Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This single, small Elbaite crystal is in very good condition, as it shows almost no human-induced damage. Its trigonal prismatic form, however, is very warped due to its intergrowth with other crystals or materials that were since separated. Its normally rounded triangular cross-section is all but obliterated, though it does show one clean, striated face and its shallow trigonal pyramidal termaination is still discernable. It has a bright, nearly vitreous luster and is dimly transparent but contains many internal fratures, most of which are aligned along the basal plane. Its color is variable- most of its prism length has a deep blue color with a tinge of gray, but its termination and parts of some prism edges possess a pale red-orange coloration. There is a deep layer of this color at the base of the termination. There is no host or base rock present.

Dims: 2.4 x 1.4 x 1.0" (6.1 x 3.6 x 2.5 cm)

Wt: 1.88 oz. (53.5 g)

(Maloca) Jacare Mine, Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several Elbaite crystals rest on the albite base of this specimen. These crystals range in size from a few millimeters along each axis up to 0.8 x 0.6 x 0.5" (2.0 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm). Most of the larger and more exposed crystals have been damaged and broken, whereas the smaller, needle-like crystals that rest between the albite blades are intact. All have good trigonal prismatic form, with rounded triangular cross-sections. Their color is generally a very dark green, but the largest crystal contains the deep red "core" that is indicative of "watermelon tourmaline". The smallest crystals are generally transparent and clear, but the larger crystals are very dark in color and generally contain too many internal fractures to be anything but dimly translucent at best. The albite base is made up of many partly intergrown pseudohexagonal blades, most of which are broken. There are also two small, rounded lepidolite "books" present.

Dims: 5.5 x 3.2 x 0.3" (13.9 x 8.1 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 4.63 oz. (131.3 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This hand specimen consists of a cut and polished slice of tourmalinated quartz, is made up of tourmaline crystals that are included in a quartz matrix. The tourmalines that are embedded in this specimen are of the variety known as Elbaite, and most are quite small, not exceeding 0.1" (3 mm) in diameter. However, The two largest included Elbaites are of a variety known as Watermelon Tourmaline, as they are made up of a shell of green Elbaite that surrounds a pink Elbaite core. Neither of these inclusions are complete, and one is much less than 50% so. However, both the green and red tourmaline components are obvious. The edges of the specimen are rough and uneven, but the cut faces are both polished to a high gloss so that one can see the tourmalines with detail. Only the Watermelon Tourmalines are translucent to any degree, and the quartz matrix is milky and dimly transparent.

Dims: 2.5 x 2.4 x 2.0" (6.4 x 6.1 x 5.1 cm)

Wt: 7.40 oz. (210.1 g)

Kunar Valley, Afghanistan

This hand specimen consists of a chunk of albite pegmatite in which is embedded several Elbaite crystals. These crystals are generally in fair to good condition, as many are damaged, broken, or incomplete, and the largest one has visible dimensions of 1.1 x 0.4 x 0.4" (2.8 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm). All have excellent trigonal prismatic form, with well-defined edges, clean faces and a rounded triangular cross-section, but very few, if any, possess intact terminations. The smaller crystals are generally a pure pale green in color with a hint of gray or blue, but the larger crystals have a similarly-colored layer that surrounds a "core" of pink Elbaite. All have a slightly dull vitreous luster, and the smaller, green crystals tend to be transparent and very clear, whereas the larger "Watermelon" crystals are only dimly transparent at best due to internal fracturing. The Elbaites are accompanied by a large number of small, intergrown lepidolite "books" and platelets and several broken albite blades.

Dims: 4.6 x 2.4 x 1.7" (11.7 x 6.1 x 4.3 cm)

Wt: 13.2 oz. (373 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several Elbaite crystals permeate the quartz host rock of this hand specimen. Almost all of the exposed Elbaite crystals are damaged and incomplete, and most show only traces of their trigonal prismatic form. Where intact, they have well-defined edges and striated but clean faces and a slightly dull, pearly luster. Most of the crystals have a dark green coloration, but a few are bi-colored, possessing a pink "core" that is surrounded by a dark green "skin". Evidence of a few of these watermelon tourmalines is visible. The Elbaites are accompanied by a small amount of badly broken albite.

Dims: 2.7 x 2.3 x 1.7" (6.9 x 5.8 x 4.3 cm)

Wt: 7.3 oz. (207 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several broken Elbaite crystals extend through the pegmatite host rock of this hand specimen. These crsystals are all incomplete and heavily damaged, so that one cannot easily see their trigonal prismatic form. Red, green, and bi-colored Elbaites are present, the latter being in the form of Watermelon Tourmaline, which consists of a red "core" surrounded by a green "skin". The few bits of intact faces show a pearly-to-vitreous luster, though most surfaces are nearly matte due to intense fracturing.

Dims: 4.0 x 2.9 x 0.2" (10.2 x 7.4 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 3.2 oz. (91 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This specimen consists of a flat, partly-polished slab of tourmalinated quartz, consisting of a white quartz matrix in which are embedded several Elbaite pieces. The Elbaite sections are generally in good condition, though a few are damaged or broken, and measure up to 0.6" (1.5 cm) in diameter. Most of the pieces that are present consist of cross-sections of the trigonal prismatic crystals- these show the standard rounded, triangular shape. Almost all of the pieces are of the variety known as Watermelon Tourmaline, in which a "core" of red or pink material is surrounded by a "skin" of dark green material. They are essentailly opaque and show a pearly luster on the few natural, exposed edges. The quartz host is translucent and cloudy, and shows substantial internal fracturing.

Dims: 4.2 x 3.0 x 0.2" (10.7 x 7.6 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 3.9 oz. (110 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several flat sections of Elabite crystals rest in the slabbed and polished Quartz host rock of this specimen. These Elbaites are of the variety known as Watermelon Tourmaline and are generally in good condition, though all show a small amount of damage. Though cut, one can easily see evidence of their trigonal prismatic form through their cut and polished cross-sections, which have the standard rounded triangular shape. All have a "core" of red Elbaite that is surrounded by a thin "skin" of green material. Though their natural faces show a bright pearly-to-vitreous luster, their cut and polished faces show a duller, resinous luster due to the fact that they are coated with a resin of some sort! All are heavily internally-fractured, and if they were not covered with this resin, their pink cores would likely crumble away. The white quartz host is translucent to dimly transparent and contains many internal fractures.

Dims: 4.0 x 3.6 x 3.4" (10.2 x 9.1 x 8.6 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 8.8 oz. (702 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several heavily worn and fractured Elbaite crystals rest in the weathered pegmatite matrix of this large hand specimen. None of the crystals are complete, and the largest section has visible dimensions of 3.3 x 0.8" (8.4 x 2.0 cm). All are so worn and broken as to be nearly shapeless with regard to their normal trigonal prismatic form. Most of these crystals have either a dark green or a pink coloration, and several are Watermelon Tourmalines, having a "core" of pale pink material that is surrounded by a layer of dark green Elbaite. All are likely only dimly translucent at best due to their intense internal fracturing. Their luster is also significantly dulled by this fracturing, and is pearly at best. The pegmatite matrix is made up mostly of albite, but does contain some quartz and many tiny muscovite platelets.

Dims: 5.3 x 4.3 x 2.6" (13.5 x 10.9 x 6.6 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 6.2 oz. (1.083 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

A few dozen Elbaite prisms are embedded in the pegmatite matrix of this specimen. All of the visible crystals are either heavily weathered or broken, but most still have intact portions which show definable trigonal prismatic form. Portions of well-defined edges and clean faces are also visible- these clean faces possess a bright pearly-to-vitreous luster, whereas the damaged areas show a duller, pearly-to-waxy luster. Their color is usually a dark green, though a few pink Elbaites are evident, and several watermelon crystals are present. The host rock in which they are embedded is made up of quartz and albite, and is also either badly broken or heavily weathered.

Dims: 4.6 x 2.7 x 2.2" (11.7 x 6.9 x 5.6 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 4.5 oz. (580 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Portions of several Elbaite Watermelon Tourmaline crystals are embedded in the pegmatite matrix of this hand specimen. These pieces are heavily weathered and broken and are all incomplete. Their trigonal prismatic forms are almost indeterminate, and their luster is dulled by the breakage and wear. Almost all of them consist of a "core" of pink material that is surrounded by a dark green "skin", but one piece appears to be solid green in coloration. They are all effectively opaque due to their intense internal fracturing. Their pegmatite host is made up mostly of quartz, but there is a substantial amount of albite present, which contains quite a bit of muscovite.

Dims: 5.2 x 4.0 x 2.2" (13.2 x 10.2 x 5.6 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 3.2 oz. (997 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This hand specimen consists of a chunk of pegmatite in which rest several portions of Elbaite crystals. These portions are ll broken and incomplete, but a few of them are intact enough so that one can easily determine their trigonal prismatic form. Those that are most complete tend to have a six-sided cross-section and show a pearly luster on their intact areas. Most of the pieces, however, are nearly shapeless due to breakage and have a dull pearly to matte luster. The six-sided prisms tend to be colored completely pink, whereas the other material shows the classic "watermelon" coloration, with a pink "core" surrounded by a green "skin". All are embedded in the pegmatite host, which is made up of about 60 - 70% albite and 30 - 40% quartz.

Dims: 5.4 x 3.4 x 3.2" (13.7 x 8.6 x 8.1 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 4.5 oz. (1.036 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This large hand specimen consists of a chunk of pegmatite in which are embedded at least 10 portions of large Elbaite "Watermelon Tourmaline" crystals. These crystals are all badly broken and mostly incomplete, but have good trigonal prismatic form where it can be determined. All show a dull pearly to waxy luster where they are broken, but possess a brighter, pearly luster where intact. All are generally alike in color, containing a pink "core" that is surrounded by a green "skin" of Elbaite. The pegmatite host in which they rest is made up mostly of quartz, but there is a small amount of elbaite present.

Dims: 7.1 x 3.8 x 3.5" (18.0 x 9.7 x 8.9 cm)

Wt: 3 lbs., 9.2 oz. (1.624 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several Elbaite crystals permeate the pegmatite host rock of this small cabinet specimen. These crystals are difficult to measure and effectively study, as those parts that are exposed are either damaged and broken or heavily worn. Many have definite trigonal prismatic form, however, with either 3- or 6-sided cross-sections. Their luster is dull where broken, but a moderate to dull pearly where intact. Most have the classic "watermelon" coloration, in which a red "core" of material is surrounded by a dark green "skin". There are also patches of purely pink Elabite, however, and one patch of what is either black schorl or a very dark green Elbaite. The pegmatite host in which they are embedded is made up of albite and quartz and contains a very small amount of muscovite.

Dims: 6.2 x 3.8 x 3.3" (15.7 x 9.7 xc 8.4 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 4.7 oz. (1.040 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Evidence of at least 6 different Elbaite crystals rest in the pegmatite host of this large hand specimen. These crystals reach lengths of up to 3" (7.5 cm) and are all in fair to poor condition, as each exposed surface is badly damaged. There are some areas of intact faces present, but all are incomplete and rather heavily fractured. Most show the pink and green colorations that represent the watermelon variety of Elbaite, but a few crystals have a pure red color with a strong violet tinge that is the deepest that I have ever seen in this species. Portions are transparent, but the crystals are translucent as a whole. The Elbaites are accompanied by both muscovite and lepidolite- though they are also damaged, I find the lepidolite books rather impressive in both size and coloration. The smoky quartz that makes up part of the host rock shows some definite crystal form in one area.

Dims: 5.8 x 4.4 x 3.0" (14.7 x 11.2 x 7.6 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 13.1 oz. (1.78 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

The pegmatite matrix of this small cabinet specimen contains several Elbaite crystals. These crystals are generally in fair condition, showing moderate to intense damage, and reach lengths of at least 2.5" (6.4 cm). Though all are damaged to a degree and lack terminations as a rule, many are intact enough so that their trigonal prismatic forms and rounded triangular cross-sections are easily visible. Where intact, surfaces show a pearly-to-vitreous luster among the striations. Most have the red and green color arrangement of watermelon tourmaline, but a few are purely red in color. They are generally only translucent due to their intense internal fracturing.

Dims: 5.6 x 4.4 x 3.5" (14.2 x 11.2 x 8.9 cm)

Wt: 3 lbs., 3.4 oz. (1.458 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This small cabinet specimen consists of a large chunk of faintly smoky quartz that contains portions of several Elbaite crystals. These crystals are mostly incomplete and generally heavily damaged. They do, however, show substantial evidence of their trigonal form, as many incomplete faces and edges are visible. All but one of them have a very dark green-brown coloration that is nearly opaque and could almost be called "schorl". The other crystal has the classic red core and green skin of watermelon tourmaline and is generally translucent, showing transparence in a few areas.

Dims: 5.0 x 4.4 x 0.2" (12.7 x 11.2 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 7.1 oz. (200 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

A cut and polished slab of tourmalinated quartz makes up this specimen. Sections of at least 10 different tourmaline crystals are present, 4 of which are Elbaites. All but one of these Elbaite sections are incomplete- the complete section shows the classic rounded triangular cross-section of the trigonal crystals. All but one have the classic red core and green skin that constitute watermelon tourmaline. All translucent due to heavy internal fracturing, and appear to be glued in some depressions to stabilize their red cores. The other Elbaite is simply red in color and is also heavily internally fractured. The other crystals are essentially black in color and opaque- they could be schorls.

Dims: 5.8 x 2.8 x 2.7" (14.7 x 7.1 x 6.9 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 8.6 oz. (697 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

At least 3 large Elbaite "watermelon" tourmalines rest in the pegmatite host of this specimen. They measure up to 3.6" (9 cm) long and are all heavily damaged and incomplete. Portions of their faces are intact, though, and show the classic striations and a bright pearly luster- however, their pink cores have only a waxy luster, at best. They are essentially opaque, though their green skins show definite translucence.

Dims: 4.5 x 4.2 x 2.4" (11.4 x 10.7 x 6.1 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 10.1 oz. (740 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

At least 10 partial Elbaite crystals rest in the pegmatite host of this specimen. These crystals reach nearly 3" (7.5 cm) in length and are all heavily damaged. They show only slight evidence of their crystal form and no terminations. Some have the pink-and-green "watermelon" coloration, while the rest are merely pink in color. Their luster is dulled and their clarity is spoiled by their intense fracturing. Crusts of crushed muscovite cover most of the host rock.

Dims: 3.8 x 3.0 x 2.0" (9.7 x 7.6 x 5.1 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 3.2 oz. (543 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

The pegmatite matrix of this hand specimen contains many partial Elbaite crystals. These crystals do not tend to exceed more than 2" (5 cm) in length and are all incomplete due to damage. Most that are exposed are heavily fractured and rather crumbly, showing only slight evidence of their trigonal form- no edges or faces are intact. Their color is quite evident however, and most show the red "core" and green "skin" of watermelon tourmaline. Their fracturing has dulled their vitreous luster and has rendered them all but opaque.

Dims: 3.2 x 1.7 x 1.4" (8.1 x 4.3 x 3.6 cm)

Wt: 6.1 oz. (172 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Portions of 8 different Elbaite crystals are embedded in the quartz matrix of this hand specimen. All are broken and incomplete, but one is in markedly better condition than the rest- it nearly has a termination and is intact throughout its length of 1.3" (3.3 cm). Its skin is a dark olive-green color, and like most of the other crystals on the piece, this skin surrounds a "core" of material with a different color. However, the color of this core material appears to be a pale blue-green, unlike those of the other crystals, which are pink in color. A few bits of purely green crystals are also present. All have a dull, pearly-to-vitreous luster where intact and range in clarity from dimly transparent to essentially opaque. The quartz base shows no definite crystal form.

Dims: 5.2 x 3.8 x 0.3" (13.2 x 9.6 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 4.88 oz. (138.5 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This polished pegmatite slab contains portions of at least 2 different Elbaite crystals. The Elbaites are mostly incomplete, of course, but one of them is cross-sectioned and shows the common, rounded triangular shape of its species. This smaller piece is mostly black in color, though hints of dark green are visible, and the larger piece shows black, dark green and red colorations- all are essentially opaque.

Dims: 5.2 x 3.2 x 0.3" (13.2 x 8.1 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 5.45 oz. (155.0 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This polished pegmatite slab contains sections of several Elbaite crystals. Though they are far from complete, their rounded triangular and hexagonal shapes denote their trignonal form. Most are "watermelon tourmalines", as they are made up of a pink core surrounded by a green shell. The pegmatite is made up of quartz, feldspar, and muscovite, and has been ground and polished to a moderately high gloss.

Dims: 4.0 x 3.5 x 2.5" (10.2 x 8.9 x 6.4 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 7.8 oz. (675 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This large hand specimen is made up almost entirely of red and green Ebaite. All of the visible crystals are damaged and incomplete, but most show reasonably good trigonal prismatic form where intact, including the standard rounded triangular cross-section. A small area on the piece is made up entirely of dark green Elbaites, most of which have the pink cores that denote watermelon tourmaline. The bulk of the piece is made of predominantly pink Elbaite. All are translucent at best and show intense internal fracturing. Only a small amount of the pegmatite matrix fills in the gaps between crystals.

Dims: 3.7 x 2.3 x 2.2" (9.4 x 5.8 x 5.6 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 0.8 oz. (475 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several Elbaite crystals are embedded in the pegmatite matrix of this hand specimen. All of these crystals are damaged and incomplete, and the largest, having visible dimensions of 1.4 x 1.0 x 0.4" (3.6 x 2.5 x 1.0 cm) is the least complete. Only a few small crystals show any trigonal prismatic form, as damage is too severe in most. The largest crystals possess a dark green skin that surrounds a pink core, denoting watermelon tourmaline, and are translucent at best and intensely internally-fractured. The smaller crystals are generally a dark, slightly olive-green color and likely dimly transparent. A small amount of mica is also embedded in the pegmatite matrix.

Dims: 4.3 x 2.5 x 1.7" (10.9 x 6.4 x 4.3 cm)

Wt: 12.6 oz. (357 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several partial Elbaite crystals rest in the pegmatite host rock of this hand specimen. All are damaged and none are more than 50% complete, so that one can only see suggestions of their trigonal prismatic form. A few have a deep, slightly olive-green coloration, a few are pink in color, and the rest have a dark green skin surrounding a pink core, denoting watermelon tourmaline. Spots of dim transparence are visible in some places, but most are translucent at best.

Dims: 5.6 x 4.6 x 1.9" (14.2 x 11.6 x 4.8 cm)

Wt: 2 lbs., 3.0 oz. (991 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Several incomplete Elbaite crystals rest in the crystalline smoky quartz base of this cabinet specimen. The Elbaites are in fair to poor condition as they are all incomplete and tend to show considerable breakage. However, one crystal is nearly complete and measures 2.5" (6.4 cm) long. This particular crystal has a very odd, almost bladed form that is much flatter than the standard trigonal prism. All have a deep blue color with a hint of green in some areas and are dimly transparent and contain many internal fractures. Their vitreous luster is slightly dull. The smoky quartz base is actually part of a very large crystal, of which two incomplete faces are present.

Dims: 9.1 x 5.0 x 3.8" (23.1 x 12.7 x 9.7 cm)

Wt: 7.25 lbs. (3.3 kg)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

At least 20 Elbaite crystals are embedded in the pegmatite host rock of this specimen. Though it is impossible to accurately assess their size, a few are at least 2 inches long, according to their exposed lengths. Their trigonal prismatic form appears to be good, though this is also difficult to study. They occur in colors of blue-green, red, and a combination of the two, as both banded and watermelon tourmaline. Almost all are either broken or damaged to some degree, though the pegmatite seems to have protected some of them. Their clarity varies widely from transparent to nearly opaque, and all appear to contain numerous internal fractures. One end of the host rock is permeated with what appears to be lepidolite that has taken on an odd, almost spiky form.

Dims: 4.4 x 4.1 x 0.4" (11.2 x 10.4 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 6.9 oz. (195 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This piece consists of a cut and polished slab of pegmatite that contains several partial Elbaite crystals. These crystals are obviously incomplete, as they have been cut and polished along with the surrounding rock. Their trigonal prismatic form was likely good, as a few crystals show the standard rounded triangular cross-section. The largest sections are mostly red in color, but most of the crystals show the red "core" surrounded by the blue-green "shell" that is indicative of watermelon tourmaline. In their present thickness, they are essentially opaque and are intensely internally-fractured.

Dims: 4.6 x 3.7 x 0.3" (11.7 x 9.4 x 0.7 cm)

Wt: 5.3 oz. (150.0 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This piece consists of a polished slab of milky quartz that holds a single cross-section of an Elbaite crystal. The cross-secrtion is incomplete, but enough is present so that its rounded triangular shape is visible. Being a piece of watermelon tourmaline, it consists of a dark green "shell" of Elbaite that surrounds a red "core". Being polished, the slab shows a bright luster.

Dims: 4.4 x 3.1 x 2.2" (11.2 x 7.9 x 5.6 cm)

Wt: 20.0 oz. (567 g)

Minas Gerais, Brazil

This large hand specimen consists of a chunk of pegmatite in which are embedded several broken and incomplete Elbaite crystals. Due to their lack of completeness and partial exposure, their trigonal form is evident but quite poor in most areas. Both the intact and broken faces show a vitreous luster, and though some of the smaller crystals are purely dark green in color, the larger ones tend to be watermelon tourmalines, consisting of a dark green "shell" of material that surrounds a red "core". All are essentially opaque due to intense internal fracturing, though portions are translucent or even transparent.

Dims: 1.9 x 0.9 x 0.8" (4.8 x 2.3 x 2.0 cm)

Wt: 20.6 g

Dak, Laghman Province, Afghanistan

This lovely hand specimen consists of two partly intergrown Elbaite crystals. These crystals are in excellent condition, showing no damage. They have dimensions of 1.8 x 0.4" (4.7 x 1.1 cm) and 1.2 x 0.4" (3.0 x 1.0 cm) and show excellent trigonal prismatic form with double-terminations. The larger one, however, shows an odd trait- it grew in 3 stages, causing a gentle curvature near one termination. Their pale blue-green color is like that found in some aquamarines, and though both are transparent, they are only dimly clear at best due to many internal fractures and flat, basally-oriented cloudy inclusions- I have not seen such inclusions in Elbaite before. Only a tiny amount of a white pegmatite host is present.

Dims: 5.0 x 4.1 x 3.2" (12.7 x 10.5 x 8.1 cm)

Wt: 1 lbs., 12.1 oz. (794 g)

Cruzeiro Mine, Novo Cruzeiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This display piece consists of scores of random Elbaite crystals that permeate a classic pegmatite matrix. These crystals reach lengths of over 3" (8.5 cm) maximum, and are in reasonably good condition, as many of their exposed terminations are broken. All show excellent trigonal prismatic form, however, and the intact crystals have the standard shallow pyramidal terminations. Most have a deep, forest-green color, but there are several that show zones of pale pink coloration. All have the standard vitreous luster, and they are transparent and often quite clear, though many of the larger ones are internally fractured and even a bit cloudy in some areas. A sizable portion of the matrix is made up of finely grain, nearly massive lepidolite mica. A very pretty specimen with excellent color.

Dims: 0.99x0.66x0.40" (2.51x1.67x1.01cm)

Wt: 12.50ct (2.50g)

Minas Gerais, Brasil

When I first saw this tourmaline, I thought it was mislabeled, as it is as black as schorl, but was labeled as elbaite. Looking closely and with a bright light, it is clearly a very dark green elbaite. The thin individual crystals are translucent, even transparent in very thin areas. The crystals have typical striations, and there is a fine dusting of crystals on some of the faces, likely some variety of mica. This is a pretty little crystal cluster of elbaite, even if it is unusually dark.

Dims: 1.71x1.26x1.17" (4.34x3.19x2.97cm)

Wt: 1.60oz (45.3g)

Aracuai, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This specimen displays a dozen or so green elbaite tourmaline crystals in a matrix of intergrown prismatic colorless quartz crystals. The elbaite has a very dark green color (nearly black in most areas), and is barely translucent. There are enough fractures and surface texture to reveal the green color. The crystals have an unusual distorted diamond shaped cross section, and few of them show terminations, as nearly every crystal is missing one or both ends. They do show typical tourmaline striations and a vitreous luster.

dims mm=120.73x102.34x54.58

wt g=688

Aracuai, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This is a fairly loose cluster of intergrown green elbaite crystals and colorless transparent quartz crystals. While the elbait tourmaline crystals are translucent at best, and have a surface texture that causes a dirty appearance, the specimen displays well and has a lot of tourmaline. The oddity is that the crystals all have a distorted rhobohedral cross section - it takes a loupe to find the tiny faces revealing the hexagonal shape.