Tourmaline ("Cross-Shaped") (ex Rolando Gioia Collection)

Item Description

The Pederneira Mine is the one of the most significant and renowned Tourmaline producers in the history of mineral collecting. This locality has given collectors some of the most aesthetic, colorful and eye-catching Tourmaline out there. This piece is from an older find at the Pederneira Mine (dating back over 25 years) featuring heavily striated, prismatic, dark green Tourmaline crystals which have grown at a near 90-degree angle forming the shape of a cross! The majority of the internal color of the prisms in an olive green, although the uppper portion of the thicker crystal shows a gemmier green hue with a "black cap" basal termination. With strong light, you can see a hint of purple near the black end of the crystal. One of the "arms" on the side of the cross is contacted, but the other shows a bit of crystallization on one end. It's not common to find Tourmalines (or any mineral for that matter) with such an attractive form like this. Great old time material from this prolific mine in Brazil. Weight of the specimen is 7.83 grams. Valued at $900. From the collection of Rolando Gioia (a contributor to new definitive book on Brazilian minerals: "Minerais e Pedras Preciosas do Brasil").