Tourmaline with Lepidolite on Albite (ex Rolando Gioia Collection)

Item Description

A 2.4 cm, fantastic, gemmy, pink and green color prismatic Tourmaline crystal from the famed Pederneira Mine in Brazil. The matrix is composed of white bladed Albite (var: Cleavelandite) and purplish-pink Lepidolite. Now it must be noted that Lepidolite is no longer a valid mineral species, and according to the scattered information we found, Lepidolite is defined as a mineral in the so-called Polylithionite-Trilithionite series. With that said, we're still calling it Lepidolite. Pederneria Tourmalines are some of the most prized and acclaimed Tourmalines from any mine in the world. The specimen is in wonderful condition, and the Tourmaline is just gorgeous in person, and even has a gem "nodule" protruding from the top of the crystal. An excellent miniature size matrix display Tourmaline specimen for any collector. The Tourmaline appears to be stabilized (but not repaired) where it attached to the Albite matrix. Valued at $1500. From the collection of Rolando Gioia (a contributor to new definitive book on Brazilian minerals: "Minerais e Pedras Preciosas do Brasil").