Liddicoatite Tourmaline ex. Lauf Coll. (Tourmaline book cover)

Item Description

Liddicoatite is a very rare form of tourmaline, usually but not always red, and chemically distinct from regular multi colored tourmalines. It comes from only a few localities in the world in good, large crystals. This beautiful, vertical cluster of splaying crystals has a really nice luster and color, and comes from a special one-off pocket found in Vietnam in the early 2000s (I recall it well, and also made a play for it at the time!).Today, the values on these are easily multiples of the original prices, as no more can be had, and specimens like this have turned up on the market at $5000 and more. 162 grams. This is a particularly GOOD cluster, with excellent shape, color, and 360 degree completeness to it....PLUS it is a book cover for the monograph on the Tourmaline Group! Valued fairly at $5000-7500, this specimen is from the author's own collection and is a cover of the important reference series mineral monograph books, Collector's Guide to the Tourmaline group, by Dr. Bob Lauf. Robert Lauf grew up in Chicago and attended the University of Illinois, ultimately receiving a Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering. His scientific career included over twenty years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he conducted research on topics ranging from nuclear fuel, coal by-products, materials synthesis, microwave processing, sensors, optical materials, and biomineralization. More, copied and quoted from Minerals.net: Liddicoatite is an uncommon form of Tourmaline, almost identical in chemical composition to Elbaite, but with a calcium atom replacing a sodium atom in its chemical formula. Liddicoatite was not recognized as a separate Tourmaline species until 1977. Prior to that time, it was thought to be Elbaite. The original discovery of Liddicoatite in Madagascar was believed to be fully dominating in hydroxyl in its chemical formula. Subsequent analysis has determined a fluorine presence in place of some of the hydroxyl, though several localities (though not the type locality) do in fact contain all hydroxyl and no fluorine. The fluorine-rich Liddicoatite is recognized as a distinct mineral species by the IMA, and termed Fluor-liddicoatite. Liddicoatite is name after Richard T. Liddicoat (1918-2002), a well-known gemologist who was the president of the GIA, and inventor of the Diamond grading system. This item comes with a copy of the corresponding book, as shown.