Tourmaline: Maine's Pride And Joy |
In 1822 tourmaline, used in exquisite jewelry, was discovered on Mt. Mica in Paris Hill in Maine.by Ezekial Holmes and Elijah Hamlin. Tourmaline is incomparable in its variety of colors because a slight alteration in it composition causes a different color. Looking at the popular crystal from different angles can also show a different hue. Its name is derived from the Singhalese word "turamali" which means "stones of a variety of colors" or "stone attracting ash.". Crystals are triangular shaped. A single color three-sided crystal prism is rarely seen, and the gemstone is rarely colorless. A rubellite is a tourmaline of deep color, but is called this only if it retains the same color through natural and artificial light. Tourmalines are both bi-colored and multi-colored .
Some of tourmaline's colors are brown, black, yellow, blue, red, green, pink, watermelon (green on one side and pink on the other, or green outside and pink inside), and other colors. If it has black ends and is nearly colorless in the center it is called "mohrenkopf", named after a German cake. If a tourmaline is emerald-green (caused by chrome) it is called "verdelite".The Paraiba tourmaline of a intense blue to blue green was found in 1987 in Paraiba, Brazil. Malawi tourmalines are a vivid yellow and called a canary tourmaline. The Paraiba tourmaline of intense blue to blue green was found in 1987 in Paraiba, Brazil. Bubble-gum pink tourmalines are from the Stewart Mine in San Diego,
Two-colored crystals are most prevalent. Crystals can be found in igneous rocks, especially granite, as well as in marble and schist. It has a hardness rating of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohls scale, so has good wearing ability.
Excitement spread through Mt. Mica when the "gemstone of the rainbow" was first discovered. Visitors to the various Maine quarries increased, and even scientists were interested in the acquisition, The first company formed in this regard was the Mount Mica Tin and Mica Company in 1881, and two others followed. The search for tourmaline was costly, so the workers sold other mineral to pay the operating costs. One third of the world's mineral varieties come from Maine, with some found only in the area. Samples of the minerals can be seen in museums all over the world.
Tourmalines can be found in many countries including Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Africa, Brazil Zimbabwe, Kenya and Afghanistan. There can be many discoveries of the stone but ones of good quality and true color are not that common. There is therefore a wide variation in price.
The village of Schorl in Saxony, Germany had a nearby tin mine in 1400 AD where black tourmaline was discovered, so the most common variety of tourmaline is called schorl. Scientists have found that when the crystals are heated and cooled they can be electrically charged. The Dutch would heat it to draw as from their meerschaum pipes.
Tourmaline is one of the most popular gemstones and their color span is by far the most intriguing.