Elbaite

specimen number:
1712696

location:
Coronel Murta, Minas Gerais, Brazil

description:

An attractive multicolored gemmy glassy terminated crystal of elbaite. In great condition. This weighs 1.7 g. These are often referred to as watermelon tourmaline.

Coronel Murta, located in the Jequitinhonha Valley of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is a world-renowned district for the production of gem-quality pegmatite minerals. Geologically, the area is part of the Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province, characterized by granitic pegmatites that intruded into Precambrian schists and quartzites during the Brasiliano orogeny. These highly evolved pegmatites are famous for their complex internal zonation, which hosts large pockets of lithium-bearing minerals such as elbaite tourmaline, lepidolite, and spodumene, as well as exceptional beryl and topaz crystals. Historically, the region has been mined for decades, with a significant surge in activity starting in the mid-20th century as demand for both industrial minerals and gemstones increased. Mines such as the Barra de Salinas and the Piaui valley have operated intermittently from the 1940s through the present day, depending on new discoveries and global market trends. Today, the town remains a vital hub for the extraction and trade of spectacular mineral specimens, most notably the bi-colored and "watermelon" tourmalines that are prized by collectors and jewelers around the globe.

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