Detailed information
Species
Elbaite, Tourmaline
Dimensions
55 x 24 x 23
mm
Locality
Rangkul' pegmatite field Rangkul' Highlands Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan
Condition
No recorded repairs
To describe this ex-matrix crystal of Elbaite tourmaline as "succulent" would not be far from the mark as it resembles a stick of crisp acidic leafy green rhubarb with a bright coral-pink termination. From the Rangkul' pegmatite field in Tajikistan, the crystal is triangular in cross section with deep, vertically striated prism faces and alternating horizontal bands of acidic lime and deep leaf green. The final 2 to 4 mm of the termination is almost purely transparent and seemingly colourless when viewed from above, but from side-on it is a stunning pink. A delightful Elbaite from this rarely heard-of pegmatite area.