Tourmaline (inside out pseudomorph / replacement) with Quartz

Item Description

There are lots of minerals that people associate with pseudomorphing / replacement, but Tourmaline is not typically one of them. The Tourmalines from the Urubu Mine are some of the most distinctive and interesting examples out there. This piece is so cool because it started out as a solid crystal of green Tourmaline, but now a large percentage of the crystal has been replaced by white translucent Quartz. What makes this replacement so intriguing is that it took place from the CENTER of the crystal and worked its way to the exterior, which is not typical for this phenomenon in mineral species, as they are often replaced from the exterior first and the interior will remain as the original species. I love the fact that the original green Tourmaline is still present as an outer "shell". If you're a collector of gem crystals, pseudomorphs / replacements, unique specimen or just Brazilian specimens in general, don't miss out on this really interesting and rare example for your collection.