Tourmaline var. Paraiba

Item Description

This specimen is part of the 2021 Dallas Mineral Collecting Symposium benefit auction, with proceeds benefiting Mineralogical Record, Rocks & Minerals, Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, and mindat.org. Thanks to all of our participants!

Billing for this auction will occur on Monday, August 23, for payment using PayPal or a credit card. Shipping will be billed at cost.

This is a super-rare example of paraiba tourmaline, consisting of a scepter of hot pink surrounded by the copper-influenced green-blue color that makes Paraiba tourmaline instantly stand out to the eye. The color is almost neon blue but somehow different...and that is why they have been desired ever since they were found, so many years ago. This is an old specimen, a rare complete crystal, from the famous original location for true Paraiba tourmalines, the Batalha Mine. This is the natural color, not heat-treated. The Paraiba sheath surrounds a hot pink core, like lipstick coming up. It shows some mild dissolution (similar to etching) but is complete. Such crystals from the 1980s are known only from this location and are often called "Paraiba tourmaline" or cuprian elbaite, discovered here in 1982 and found for a few years after. For the collector of rare tourmalines, these are literally priceless, so seldom are they seen. Thumbnails sell for thousands of dollars. It has been a long time since we have seen a crystal like this come to market. Anonymous donation to the Symposium auction.