Tourmaline (var: Rubellite) with Albite

Item Description

The Malkhan Pegmatite Field is a 60 square kilometer area in south eastern Russia (south east of Lake Baikal) and is world famous for producing iconic Tourmaline specimens. Recently, the area has seen a boom with many superb quality pieces making their way to the market. The majority of these Tourmalines are Rubellites with rich cranberry, pink and purplish coloring, but you'll find plenty of crystals with orange, yellow and green tones as well. This piece features a robust, sharp, lustrous, thick prism of Rubellite with a really cool multi-faceted stepped termination. The color ranges from a pinkish hue on the exterior to golden yellow tones on the interior. Associated bladed Albite (var: Cleavelandite) and purple "Lepidolite" can be seen on the piece for a nice touch. The Tourmaline is actually doubly-terminated as the base of the crystal is re-crystallized ("re-healed") after it detached from the pocket wall during its formation. No real damage that I can find to the Tourmaline, though the Albite and the "Lepidolite" are a bit rough in areas. A fine small cabinet display specimen and a truly different kind of Rubellite than what we're used to seeing from this locality. The piece would make a great addition to any Tourmaline suite or a collection of gem crystals. This specimens was mined in 2010. The piece carries a $3,000 price tag in our inventory.