Elbaite

specimen number:
2242012

location:
Elizabeth R Mine, San Diego Co., California, USA

description:
Very fine and attractive crystal of elbaite for this California locality. Dark purplish red to green translucent and lustrous color zoned crystal without matrix. In good condition, naturally crystallized on the base. The specimen comes with several previous labels as shown at the end of the video. This weighs 121.71 g.

The Elizabeth R Mine, located on Chief Mountain in the Pala District of San Diego County, California, is a significant producer of gem-quality pegmatite minerals. Geologically, the mine is situated within a series of moderately dipping granitic pegmatite dikes that intruded the surrounding gabbro during the Cretaceous period. These dikes are noted for their well-developed pocket zones containing elbaite, the lithium-rich member of the tourmaline group, which often appears in shades of pink, green, and "watermelon" color. Historically, the claim was originally located in the early 1900s, but it saw its most significant modern development starting in the 1970s under the ownership of Roland Reed, who renamed the mine after his daughter. Mining and quarrying operations at the site have focused on careful underground tunneling to extract delicate mineral specimens and facet-grade crystals. The mine remained a productive and family-operated locality for decades, contributing high-quality specimens to the global market through 2026.

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