Dravite Tourmaline (Chromium-bearing) on Calcite

Item Description

RARE Dravite Tourmaline on massive Calcite matrix from the less well-known Voi area of Kenya, better known for Ruby and chromium-bearing green Tsavorite Grossular Garnet specimens. The terminated dravite section with two prism faces is 5.1 x 4.8 x 4.6 cm. The prism and termination faces are very glassy and highly lustrous. The crystal is translucent to gemmy and the variable intense green color hues are caused by trace amounts of Chromium. The etched-looking gray face of the calcite fluoresces ghostly white under both LW (best) and SW UV light and the dravite crystal interestingly fluoresces mustard-yellow under SW UV light. The rich green color is a remarkable rarity. The size and rich color makes this an important, showy specimen; and it is a one off we obtained in a large lot of contemporary tanzanian material or we would probably not be able to afford to auction it if purchased one by one on its own.