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Tourmaline is one of the most varied and complex gemstones found on earth. It is extremely attractive and has fine attributes for high quality jewelry grade stones.
This mineral has been known to man for millennia, however newer colors have been found in the last one hundred years. These stones are primarily made from lithium, aluminum, borate and silicon, from here on it can have plenty of other trace elements. Tourmaline is found mostly in volcanic pegmatites, but can also be found in alluvial and eluvia deposits. The colors that are available for Tourmaline range the color spectrum and include pink, red, brown, blue, yellow, etc.
Tourmaline comes from the Singhalese word tourmali which means mixed stone. Besides being a wonderful gemstone for jewelry, it has been used in the past for medicinal and mystical purposes. For instance, in ancient and medieval times, it was thought that Tourmaline would make one intellectually sharp and that it would help an individual with creativity.
Quick Facts
MINERAL: Tourmaline
CHEMISTRY:
Elbaite Na(Li1.5,Al1.5)Al6Si6O18(BO3)3(OH)4
Dravite NaMg3Al6Si6O18(BO3)3(OH)4
Liddicoatite Ca(Li2Al)Al6Si6O18(BO3)3(OH)3F
Chromedravite NaMg3Cr6Si6O18(BO3)3(OH)4
COLOR: All colors
REFRACTIVE INDEX: 1.624 to 1.644
BIREFRINGENCE: 0.018 to 0.040
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 3.06 (+0.20, -0.06)
MOHS HARDNESS: 7 to 7.5