Elbaite with Quartz

specimen number:
2242011

location:
Paprok, Kamdesh, Nuristan, Afghanistan

description:
A beautiful pink and bluish green highly translucent terminated crystal of elbaite, this hosting quartz and minor albite. Lepidolite present as well. This is in really good condition as seen. Naturally crystallized on the base.

Paprok, located in the Kamdesh District of Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, is situated within the high-altitude Hindu Kush mountain range. Geologically, the deposit consists of complex lithium-rich granitic pegmatites that intruded into metamorphic schists and gneisses during the Himalayan orogeny. These pegmatites are world-renowned for producing exceptional crystals of elbaite, the lithium-bearing member of the tourmaline group, which often occur in aesthetic clusters with cleavelandite and lepidolite. Paprok elbaite is particularly famous for its elongated, gem-quality prisms that display vibrant color zoning, including the iconic "watermelon" patterns and striking blue-cap or pink-cap terminations. Historically, mining and quarrying in this rugged terrain have been conducted primarily through artisanal methods, with local miners utilizing hand tools and explosives to access steep, dangerous pocket zones. While small-scale mining has occurred for decades, the locality gained significant international prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s as high-quality specimens began reaching the global market. Production remains active through 2026, driven by the continued demand for fine mineral specimens, though operations are frequently impacted by the region's challenging geography and political climate.

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