Tourmaline (Elbaite, Olenite)

Item Description

Rarely do we see Tourmaline in habit or mode of aggregation like this , as if it was a red alien fluid that melted and slimed. This juicy plate consists of numerous, bubblegum pink, botryoidal Elbaite with several, small, triangular Elbaite terminations poking through. Richly clustered, glossy mounds of translucent Elbaite Tourmaline from 0.5 to 1 cm cover the surface of this flashy plate. Burma has produced some of the most unusual Tourmaline crystals and clusters extant and this piece is no exception. It is so plain weird, it is hard to describe. The Elbaite botryoids scintillate with any incident light and for added interest, nearly a dozen triangular-shaped terminations poke through the botryoidal forms. A super attractive and unusual piece that is hard to describe but in the end, all the more interesting for that very reason! 

NOTE ADDED: Although it may or may not affect value to consider this, the Tourmalines in the auctions from the Palelni Mine may be NOT JUST Elbaite according to mindat.org - the main products are the locally called "mushroom" rubellite tourmalines. Another type of rubellite is present under botryoidal shape - those with a smooth surface that have been analysed turned out as olenite; Olenite is a MUCH RARER than Elbaite.