Elbaite Tourmaline Crystal – Newry, Maine, USA

An elegant elbaite tourmaline crystal from Newry, Maine, USA, with provenance from the Mike Menzies collection.

This single prismatic crystal displays attractive pastel pink coloration with subtle pale green to nearly colorless zoning, giving the specimen a delicate multicolored appearance. Fine vertical striations run along the length of the crystal, characteristic of tourmaline, while its translucency allows the internal color variations to remain visible from different viewing angles.

I like tourmaline and related minerals from the pegmatites of Maine. We have been flooded with the treasures of Brazil, Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent decades so I find it refreshing when material from old classic American localities emerge. This cute specimen is from Mike Menzies collection, who is a specialist and author of pegmatite minerals. The crystal is mounted on a clear acrylic base.

Minerals: Tourmaline (variety Elbaite)
Locality: Newry, Maine, USA
Crystal System: Trigonal
Mineral Class: Borosilicate
Provenance: Ex Mike Menzies
Dimensions: 1 × 1 × 2.5 cm