As I mentioned in the introduction, good matrix specimens of tourmaline are extremely rare, on account of the decomposed nature of the pegmatite, the mining methods, and the emphasis on obtaining gem rough. When a matrix specimen does occur, the matrix will almost always consist of quartz crystals. Over two separate trips to Madagascar, this is the best matrix tourmaline I have been able to get my hands on. It consists of a purplish-red liddicoatite with a black and yellow core, the yellow part of the core lending some of its color to the hue of the termination. This yellow is best visibly under strong lighting (see the image where I am holding it) As is typical of many Malagasy liddicoatites, this specimen has a very steeply pointed termination. What truly sets this piece apart however, is its association with the quartz crystals that are perched on its side. I realize I am repeating myself here, but to find a matrix specimen is relatively rare. To find a matrix specimen where the tourmaline is not damaged is even rarer, but to find a piece where the interplay between the matrix and the tourmaline is actually aesthitic is VERY difficult… like I said, despite having purchased many tourmalines in Madagascar, this is the best piece I have gotten in two trips there

A very large spray-like cluster of  biclored elbaite crystals.  The crystals have pink bases, light green upper sections, and maroon caps. 

A spray-like cluster of large, biclored elbaite crystals.  The crystals have pink bases, light green upper sections, and very thin maroon caps.  

A beautiful example of sharp, lustrous schorl crystals aesthetically positioned on matrix.  As a mineral dealer, there are a few species you quickly learn to stay away from-- black tourmaline tops the list, but I thought these were quite exceptional, especially with the contrast offered by the vivid yellow-green, day-fluorescent hyalite highlights near bottom edge.  That color is best appreciated in sunlight, and you can see the glow even in shade of indirect, 4 pm winter sun. 

A nicely arranged example of fluorite with quartz, from Erongo.  The matrix is a mixture of quartz and schorl tourmaline with a number of green fluorites (some with brown cores) scattered around a central quartz crystal.  As is typical for Erongo fluorite, it does need strong lighting for the color to be appreciated-- the ones near the edges light up particularly well. In order to display better, some of the back has been carved away as well to help light pass through.  

 

A fairly large and well terminated polychrome tourmaline from the Malchan pegmatite field in Eastern Siberia.

 

This crystal grades from an orangish red, to yellowish green, to a darker brown green near the base.  There is no damage; all the edges are sharp and the faces intact.

 

Typically I have shied away from these as the prices asked by the Russian dealers usually start right about (or above) where I have priced this one.

 

The Malchan deposit is actually a fairly recent discovery, having been discovered southeast of Lake Baikal (near the Mongolian border) in 1980.  The locality has been producing in small amounts since, though on a scale far smaller than either the Brazilian or Afghan tourmaline deposits.  I will also add that the "warmer" colored tourmalines (reds, yellows, oranges) are known from fewer deposits than the greens and blues (which account for the bulk of the Afghan/Brazilian production.) To my knowlege the main producers of these colors are currently Malchan (where this one is from), and the various pegmatites in Madagascar and Nigeria.

 

This piece really lights up when backlit correctly.

 

A gemmy and terminated multicolored tourmaline crystal in a quartz matrix.  This one displays particularly well with even slight back lighting, as the translucent quartz matrix allows the entire specimen to light up.

In the United States, Europe and Japan, the majority of available tourmaline is of Afghan or Pakistani origin, largely thanks to the number of Pakistani nationals who export the material. This is followed closely in terms of quantity by specimens from Brazil, Pala, etc. Madagascar is home to some of the most stunningly colored tourmalines, yet good specimens are seldom seen for sale. This piece is one of the few matrix tourmalines that I was able to acquire. There is no shortage of minerals in Madagascar, but good pieces are few and far between. Although this piece is not gemmy, the wine-red color is among the best available from Madagascar, and out of literaly thousands of tourmalines that I saw, this specimen had the largest terminated and undamaged crystal that was available on matrix. I would estimate that about 99.8% of Malagasy tourmalines are sold as single crystals.

A very impressive large cabinet specimen, consisting of several terminated rubellites perched on two large (also terminated) smoky quartz crystals.  Almost all of the tourmalines have light green caps.  Due to its size, it is difficult to photograph well--it is better in person.

There is a small amount of damage, which is to be expected from a specimen of this size, especially given the blasting methods used by the miners.  Still, this remains a very impressive large cabinet specimen. 

A cluster of large, biclored elbaite crystals.  The crystals have pink bases, green upper sections, and maroon caps.   Larger crystals such as this one are considerably more difficult to find than their smaller counterparts.

Perhaps one of the most abundant minerals to come from Pakistan is schorl.  But this pieces is exceptional among the literally thousands that I have seen. 

This specimen has a huge schorl crystal , 12 cm in length and almost 4 cm in diameter that is resting on a large albite crystal, fully terminated, just like the schorl itself.  There are a couple small topazes to 1.5 cm around the base, as well as numerous little albite rosettes.

  This is about as good as schorl gets, and a bargain at this price.

A double terminated crystal of liddicoatite tourmaline on a cluster of terminated smoky quartz crystals. The specimen is a floater, freed from a decomposed pegmatite with no clear points of attachment.

A double terminated crystal of liddicoatite tourmaline on a double terminated smoky quartz crystal.  The specimen is a floater, freed from a decomposed pegmatite with no point of attachment.

A nice hand-sized example of blue aquamarine on a matrix covered with schorl crystals-- many of those overgrown with small aquamarines themselves. Minor saw marks on the back edge

Another difficult to come by matrix tourmaline specimen from Madagascar, this one hosting a perfectly terminated pink and green crystal on a quartz matrix.

A large, hefty liddicoatite crystal from Madagascar.  On every trip I am shown at least one of these, and I inevitably have to turn them down because the combination of price, damage, and color are not particularly favorable.

A double terminated crystal of liddicoatite tourmaline on a cluster of terminated smoky quartz crystals. The specimen is a floater, freed from a decomposed pegmatite with no clear points of attachment.

A nice prism of bright polychrome tourmaline with a steep, very sharply pointed and fairly gemmy termination. Under ordinary lighting, it will appear as in the photograph directly to the right of this description, and the bottom photograph. Please note that there is some chipping on the back near the termination, but this is only visible directly from the back. Under strong lighting, its colors really start to shine through--as in the image directly below this description. For the price, I think this is an excellent specimen. Malagasy liddicoatites with good color are not often seen for sale, the few I have seen online have been thumbnails priced from $200-$400... this is clearly much larger, and it has very good color.

A fairly large, reddish-purple Liddicoatite tourmaline with a sharply pointed and steeply slanted termination. Compared to most, this thing is pretty big. I have also noticed that the colored specimens tend to top off at much smaller sizes than the darker pieces... why this is though, I cannot say.

I am going to begin this description by saying that no, I did not make a mistake in the species heading. This is in fact, a ferberite associated with tourmaline, from Pakistan.  Despite having a number of interesting and new things on this page, this, in my opinion, is far and away the most intriguing. 

I have never seen a pegmatitic ferberite, or any ferberite from Pakistan, for that matter.  Usually when you find a mineral from an unusual locality, it is small or poorly formed, for the species.  What makes this remarkable is that this is actually a sizable crystal—not huge, but it would be respectable for Yaogangxian, China;  Tong Wah, Korea or even Panasqueira.

 This is yet another example of the interesting curveballs that the Pakistani pegmatites throw.  The Shengus area is particularly known for producing oddball species—vayrynenite, stibiotantalite, and various columbite species, among others.

I would image this would be of interest to a collector or Pakistani minerals…. Or to a ferberite collector… (do those exist?)

A liddicoatite crystal showing bands of pink, blackish, and colorless, with the steep termination typical of liddicoatite tourmalines from Madagascar.  

A bright pink, gemmy rubellite crystal on matrix. There is damage to the surrounding crystals, but the appeal of a specimen like this, is that it is one of the very rare occasions when material that is exclusively used for gem rough gets preserved in specimen form. 

 To begin with (and I suppose, as evidenced by the damage) these crystals rarely stay on matrix.  At this site, the pegmatite is not decomposed as is the case in the mines around Ibity, however due to primitive mining methods and very tough rock (which requires more force from rudimentary hand tools) virtually all rubellite tourmalines of this color wind up as matrix free shards, which then get sent to the cutters.

 This is one of the rare times when that has not been the case, and in my opinion, the damage is eclipsed by the fact that (again) this is a matrix example of something that is only ever seen as gem rough or cut stones.

As a matter of fact, how often do you see tourmaline CRYSTALS of this color from anywhere? And on matrix? 

The only other locality/country that comes to mind is Nigeria, and again, those are always gem rough or cut as well.

 

A beautiful example of sharp, lustrous schorl crystals aesthetically positioned on matrix.  As a mineral dealer, there are a few species you quickly learn to stay away from-- black tourmaline tops the list, but I thought these were quite exceptional, especially with the contrast offered by the yellow-green hyalite opal. That color is best appreciated in sunlight, and you can see the glow even in shade of indirect, 4 pm winter sun. 

A bright and terminated pinkish-red tourmaline on matrix.  As I've mentioned in other descriptions, good matrix specimens are quite difficult to come by in Madagascar-- there is a lot of tourmaline, but most of it either comes from localities with crumbly decomposed pegmatites, or it gets broken off.

What at first glance appears to be merely a dark tourmaline crystal with a pink cap, is actually a multicolored polychrome crystal.  As is typical with these Malagasy polychromes, the piece needs back lighting to be fully appreciated. 

A terminated, deep reddish-pink liddicoatite crystal from Madagascar.  Although small compared to the largest to come from the country, finding such brightly colored examples of this size (that do not require backlighting to be appreciated)  is not particularly easy.

A doubly terminated polychrome liddicoatite crystal, on matrix.  The overall composition and balance of the piece are quite nice. This one is a bit larger than most-- and also a bit thinner.  The second quality is particularly nice, as extra thickness tends to mean darker color when it comes to these polychromes.  With backlighting (as in the last image) it the colors come out quite nicely.

A bicolored cluster of terminated tourmaline crystals; the green portion is fairly vivid.

A nice terminated pair of parallel elbaite crystals, from Brazil.

An exceptional tourmaline example from the Manapa pegmatite field.  Tourmalines from this area have distinctive purplish-red color, though are typically only seen as crystal sections frozen in matrix (often associated with rhodizite.) This is a rather hefty crystal that is also well terminated, and the specimen is balanced pretty well over all.  

A beautiful spray of fine tourmaline crystals from a recent find in the Sahatany valley.  I purchased a small group of this material, this was the best example from what I saw.  The others were mostly thumbnails, this was one of only 3 miniatures, and it has the best form by far.

On one side of the specimen, at the center of which is a large, bent  rubellite tourmaline.  To its right, there is a deeper pink rubellite, intermixed with numerous small quartz crystals, and a second generation of tourmaline.

All in all, this is a highly unusual cabinet specimen, and certainly of interest to the tourmaline collector. 

I have included a few extra photographs here, but it has to be seen with the naked eye to be fully appreciated.  Sawn on the reverse.

A nice specimen of deep green fluorite associated with a schorl-included quartz crystal, muscovite, and a larger partial schorl crystal. 

A beautiful example of tourmaline from Stak Nala, featuring a doubly terminated crystal with the characteristic zoning, perched on another doubly terminated quartz crystal-- it appears to be a floater.  Most of the Stak Nala pieces you see these days have green caps, and the ones that have pink caps have mostly been irradiated-- you can tell by the extra saturation of the pink band.  This is an older piece, and the light pink cap and colorless band below it indicate that it is, in fact, untreated. It also does have a thinner green cap on the bottom termination.

An good tourmaline example from the Manapa pegmatite field.  Tourmalines from this area have distinctive purplish-red color, though are typically only seen as crystal sections frozen in matrix (often associated with rhodizite.) This piece has a rather hefty crystal that is also well terminated, in addition to a couple side crystals.  

A nice example of green tourmaline with feldspar, from Miners Gerais, Brazil. 

Of the approximately 10 specimens I saw from this find, most had crystals that were somewhat buried in the mica matrix or which were incomplete. I purchased the best two, this is the larger one. This is a from new find of blue-green tourmaline. I am guessing it’s dravite from the color and shape—the crystals are very short, nearly tabular prisms.

A terminated, bicolred tourmaline from Brazil.

A reasonably large (compared to the usual) bicolored tourmaline crystal from Mt. Ibity-- this one has a pinkish termination and a dark green base.

An excellent tourmaline example from the Manapa pegmatite field.  Tourmalines from this area have a distinctive purplish-red color, though are typically only seen as crystal sections frozen in matrix (often associated with rhodizite.) This one is unusually rich and the crystals are actually freestanding, making for an unusually good example from the locality

A vivid pink spray of liddicoatite tourmaline crystals on a matrix of quartz crystals.  There is a bit of damage (as is the case with virtually all of these) but it is an excellent matrix example of this unusual tourmaline habit-- and the color is excellent!

A very bright tourmaline crystal. This piece is terminated, and the very brightest magenta possible for a tourmaline crystal. Perhaps there have been brighter pieces from Nigeria, but I have yet to see an actual crystal of the stuff. The most common rubelites these days are from Afghanistan, the "bubble-gum pinks" from there don"t come close to matching this one.

A sharply terminated rubellite crystal on albite. Much better in person.

A very large, black liddicoatite tourmaline from the Anjanabonoina pegmatites.  This one is just solid black, but this is the locality that is famous for producing the best Malagasy tourmaline slices.  This crystal shows the very steep termination and form typical of liddicoaties from this locality. There are some chips, but it's a very good reference from the locality.

A very beautiful little "toenail" sized specimen, with a water-clear, doubly terminated quartz crytal perched on a terminated, multicolored liddicoatite crystal.  The indent on top of the quartz is not damage, it's growth seems to have been interrupted at that point by a bit of mica.  All the same, it's an extremely beautiful and delicate combination specimen. 

A deep purplish-pink-red crystal of liddicoatite tourmaline.  When you hold this to the sun (or just a lamp) the thing lights up incredibly.  

A beautiful example of tourmaline from an unusual locality.  The vast majority of Afghan tourmalines come from further south, in Kunar and Nuristan provinces. Badakhshan is located at the extreme northeast, and is primarily known for its lapis lazuli, scapolite, and the occasional phlogopite and clinohummite.  The crystal has an appearance that is quite distinctive from the usual Paprok stuff, a bit darker with clear (and more saturated) green and reddish zones.  Older material.

A very large, black liddicoatite tourmaline from the Anjanabonoina pegmatites.  This one is just solid black, but this is the locality that is famous for producing the best Malagasy tourmaline slices.  This crystal shows the very steep termination and form typical of liddicoaties from this locality. There are some chips, but it's a very good reference from the locality.

A 5.20 ct bicolored tourmaline from Anjanabonoina.  While it has some obvious internal clarity issues, I immediately noticed it because of the insanely sharp boundary between the color zones.  Most bicolored tourmalines cut from Brazilian or Nigerian material are cut along the C axis (the length of the crystal) resulting in a longer finished stone-- and a color gradient that shifts gradually, as is usually the case with rough from those locations.  In this case, I strongly suspect the crystal was cut perpendicular to the length of the crystal--Anjanabonoina is famous for its tourmaline slices, these derive their color contrast from successive generations of outward tourmaline growth.  Most of that material is far too fractured to turn into a faceted stone (so it is sliced) but this bit of rough (while still somewhat included) was much cleaner than usual-- clean enough to produce a decent finished product.  In any case, I found the sharp contrast fascinating, and it's a really interesting piece.  It measures 11.6x 8.4x 5.9 mm. 

A beautiful example of sharp, lustrous schorl crystals aesthetically positioned on matrix.  As a mineral dealer, there are a few species you quickly learn to stay away from-- black tourmaline tops the list, but I thought these were quite exceptional, especially with the contrast offered by the vivid yellow-green, day-fluorescent hyalite highlights near top edge.  That color is best appreciated in sunlight, and you can see the glow even in shade of indirect, 4 pm winter sun (pictured). 

 

A red, well terminated tourmaline from the Malchan pegmatite field in Eastern Siberia. There is no damage; all the edges are sharp and the faces intact.

 

The Malchan deposit is actually a fairly recent discovery, having been discovered southeast of Lake Baikal (near the Mongolian border) in 1980.  The locality has been producing in small amounts since, though on a scale far smaller than either the Brazilian or Afghan tourmaline deposits.  I will also add that the "warmer" colored tourmalines (reds, yellows, oranges) are known from fewer deposits than the greens and blues (which account for the bulk of the Afghan/Brazilian production.) To my knowlege the main producers of these colors are currently Malchan (where this one is from), and the various pegmatites in Madagascar and Nigeria.

A double terminated quartz crystal, attached by one termination to a singly terminated tourmaline crystal, forming a sort of angled arch. 

Although the tourmaline crystal looks dark, backlighting reveals that it is flawlessly gem clear for at least 95% of its length, and actually a crisp dark green in color.

A very bright, magenta colored tourmaline with a flat termination, from Madagascar.  The piece lacks clarity, but again, the color is exceptional-- brighter than anything from Afghanistan or Pakistan (even their irradiated pieces) and probably brighter than most things from Brazil or Nigeria.

 

Liddicoatite is the calcium bearing member of the tourmaline group.

A cluster of liddicoatite tourmaline crystals from a recent find near Mt. Ibity-- this is from the same find that produced the floater tourmaline/ smoky quartz combinatoins posted elsewhere on this page.  These crystals display the exaggeratedly slanted terminations typical of Malagasy liddicoatite.

A nice sample of liddicoatite on matrix, with two singly terminated crystals on a nice quartz formation. 

A very aesthetically arranged specimen from this recent find, with a pair of purpe fluorite crystals perched on the side of a tourmaline crystal.

A beautiful combination specimen of pink tourmaline on quartz.  Both the quartz crystal and the tourmaline are terminated, and the secondary tourmaline crystals all have at least one termination as well. 

A beautiful tourmaline crystal that grades from green, to pink at the termination.

Another specimen from the pocket that produced the smoky quartz/ liddicoatite combinations posted earlier on this page.  There is a bit of chipping on the tourmaline, but the price takes this into account.  When backlit, the tourmalines are greenish brown.

Schorl is neatly impossible for me to sell, but I liked this so screw it. The crystal is lustrous and sharp, and sits about as well as you could ask for on the edge of its matrix. If there was such thing as a "desirable schorl" I would assume this is about as close as you can get....