Elbaite

The tourmaline family encompasses eleven minerals all with a ring arrangement of silicon, boron, and oxygen. Elbaite is a member of the tourmaline family, with a chemical composition of Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. The pink variety of elbaite is called rubellite. All tourmalines have the special property called piezoelectricity. This means that they can acquire an electric charge when struck by an object, or subjected to high pressure, such as the shock wave from an explosion.

Elbaite

The tourmaline family encompasses eleven minerals all with a ring arrangement of silicon, boron, and oxygen. Elbaite is a member of the tourmaline family, with a chemical composition of Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. The pink variety of elbaite is called rubellite. All tourmalines have the special property called piezoelectricity. This means that they can acquire an electric charge when struck by an object, or subjected to high pressure, such as the shock wave from an explosion.

Elbaite

These elbaite crystals are colorless at the tips because the supply of iron impurities decreased while they grew. Manganese impurities incorporated during early stages of growth and colored the interiors pink. The chemical composition of elbaite is Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4.

Elbaite

Elbaite is a member of the tourmaline family, with a chemical composition of Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. The tourmaline family encompasses eleven minerals all with a ring arrangement of silicon, boron, and oxygen. This blue indicolite elbaite is from Minas Gerais, Brazil, the main source of fine tourmaline crystals.

Elbaite

Elbaite is a member of the tourmaline family, with a chemical composition of Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. The pink variety of elbaite is called rubellite. The tourmaline family encompasses eleven minerals all with a ring arrangement of silicon, boron, and oxygen. All tourmalines have the special property called piezoelectricity. This means that they can acquire an electric charge when struck by an object, or subjected to high pressure, such as the shock wave from an explosion. This elbaite specimen is from Minas Gerais, Brazil, the main source for fine tourmaline crystals.

Elbaite

The tourmaline family encompasses eleven minerals all with a ring arrangement of silicon, boron, and oxygen. Elbaite is a member of the tourmaline family, with a chemical composition of Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. The pink variety of elbaite is called rubellite. All tourmalines have the special property called piezoelectricity. This means that they can acquire an electric charge when struck by an object, or subjected to high pressure, such as the shock wave from an explosion.

Elbaite

Elbaite is a member of the tourmaline family, with a chemical composition of Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. The tourmaline family encompasses eleven minerals all with a ring arrangement of silicon, boron, and oxygen.

Elbaite with albite and lepidolite

While these two elbaite crystals were growing, conditions changed. The second growth phase gave rise to thousands of bristly, hair-like crystals. The chemical composition of elbaite is Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4.

Elbaite with albite, quartz, microcline

Magnificent blue-capped elbaites jut out of a quartz and white-bladed albite base. Elbaite is a member of the tourmaline family. A source of muscovite since the early 20th century, Pederneira Mine is more important for gem tourmalines today.

Elbaite with quartz and albite

Some people think this specimen, nicknamed "Candelabra," looks like three hot-pink candles in a quartz candelabra. As the elbaite crystals grew, the growth solution changed from manganese-rich to iron-rich, creating a blue top on each candle.