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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Elbaites

Chip Clark and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose
Specimen Catalog Number Locality Weight
Elbaite NMNH G9717 Afghanistan 71.05 ct
Elbaite (var. rubellite) NMNH G3411 Brazil, Minas Gerais 62.40 ct
Elbaite NMNH G4197 Brazil, Minas Gerais 109.60 ct
Elbaite (var. rubellite) NMNH G8137 United States, California 100.40 ct
Elbaite NMNH G1108 United States, Maine 58.50 ct
Elbaite (var. rubellite) NMNH G3409 Madagascar 30.00 ct
Elbaite NMNH G2097 Brazil, Minas Gerais 40.20 ct
Elbaite NMNH G8980 United States, Maine 48.77 ct
Elbaite NMNH G5015 Afghanistan 46.00 ct
Elbaite NMNH G9147 Afghanistan 31.85 ct
Elbaite NMNH G3298 Brazil, Minas Gerais 25.50 ct
Elbaite (var. rubellite) NMNH G8455 United States, California 37.83 ct
Elbaite NMNH G9860 United States, Maine 30.40 ct
Elbaite NMNH G9977 Brazil, Minas Gerais 34.60 ct
Elbaite (var. rubellite) NMNH G1109 United States, Maine 18.40 ct
Elbaite NMNH G9964 Brazil, Paraiba 6.69 ct
Elbaite NMNH G9714 United States, Maine 44.18 ct

The tourmaline family consists of 14 distinct minerals, but only one, elbaite, accounts for nearly all of the tourmaline gemstones. Tourmaline gems cover the complete range of the color spectrum. Moreover, single crystals of elbaite can show several colors, either along their lengths or from the inside out, making it possible to cut unique multi-colored gems. Although tourmaline is best known in shades of green and red/pink, it can also be blue, purple, yellow, brown, and colorless. Varieties of elbaite are sometimes referred to by names, such as rubellite (red), indicolite (blue), and achroite (colorless), as well as the rare and highly prized Paraiba (neon blue). Today Brazil is the largest producer of gem tourmaline; other important sources include the U.S., Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Russia and Nigeria. The 17 tourmalines pictured here are from Brazil, Madagascar, Afghanistan and the U.S.

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