GREEN TOURMALINE

Green tourmaline is the green colored crystalline silicate member of the tourmaline family of minerals. It is a relatively uncommon species of tourmaline, and may account for less than 4% of all tourmaline that is found in nature. Also known as verdelite, it most often gets its fantastic green color from the amount of iron and titanium it contains. Occasionally, trace amounts of chromium, vanadium, lithium, and copper may also have a brilliant impact on the vibrancy and hue of the green coloration. Interestingly, when tourmaline is heated, it becomes negatively charged at one end and positively charged at the other. Forming in the Trigonal crystal structure, single crystals are easy to identify by their curved triangular cross-section, with parallel striations running up the sides, and a pyramidal termination at the top. If thin crystals are held up to the light, they often take on a brown or green tinge. The tourmaline mineral group is one of the most chemically complicated groups of silicate minerals. Its composition varies widely because of isomorphous replacement, or solid solution replacement, which creates the possibility of displaying a wide range of zoned colors within a single crystal. Colored crystal variations of tourmaline with high transparency are often strongly dichroic, which means that they have the ability to shift and change color when viewed at different axes positions.

GREEN TOURMALINE HISTORY AND USES

In 1554, Spanish conquistador Francisco Spinoza discovered green tourmaline while exploring the mountains of Brazil but originally mistook it for emerald, a confusion that persisted for centuries until mineralogists identified it as a distinct gem species in the early 1800s. Spinoza's find is considered the first recorded discovery of tourmaline, even though its name comes from the Sinhalese word "toramalli", or "mixed gems", reflecting its wide range of beautiful colors. Early history and mining of the most common form of tourmaline, called black tourmaline, stretches back into the late 1300’s, when the town of Schorl, which is currently named Saxony, Germany, originally discovered it within the tin mines of the area. Along with black tourmaline, or schorl, another mineral called cassiterite was highly sought after for its valuable tin content. In fact, cassiterite is still considered a primary ore of tin today. Throughout modern history, tourmaline has been prized for its wide array of color and clarity. It has been frequently cut and used as a gemstone, with exceptionally well-formed crystals being highly sought after by collection enthusiasts. In addition to its use as a popular gem, tourmaline is often applied in high pressure devices. This use is employed because of its piezoelectric properties, which is the ability to generate electric charge under mechanical stress, or friction. It has been used in depth-sounding mechanics and apparatus, as well as other devices that detect and measure variations in pressure.

TOURMALINE

There are three primary types of tourmaline, which are distinguished by the predominance of certain elements: iron tourmaline, or schorl, which is black in color; magnesium rich tourmaline, or dravite, which is brown to yellow in color; and alkali, or lithium tourmaline, called rubellite, which is pink in color, as well as the rarest form, called indicolite, which is vibrant green to blue in color. Occasionally, certain crystals of bi-color tourmaline are pink at one end and green at the other, while other rare and highly sought-after variants display beautiful and contrasting bi-color combinations of pink and blue zoning. Additionally, a rare variant of tourmaline, called Watermelon Tourmaline, displays initial zoning formation of pink rubellite, with a later developed variant of green indicolite encasing the initial rubellite formation. Formations of multicolored tourmaline zoning occurs when the trace elements change in concentration or composition during a crystal’s growth process. Another formation, which is found in extremely rare occurrences, is a complex calcium-rich lithium tourmaline from Madagascar, called Liddicoatite. It is revered for its well-developed color zoning and unusual Trigonic crystal symmetry. The trigonal pattern is most visible when the tourmaline is polished into slices, with color zoning often ranging between combinations of pink-blue-green-yellow. Liddicoatite was named in honor of Richard T. Liddicoat, who lived March 2, 1917 through July 23, 2002. He was the second president of the GIA and is often referred to as the “Father of Modern Gemology.”

GREEN TOURMALINE METAPHYSICS

Metaphysically, green tourmaline is said to bring an abundance of vitality and emotional growth to its user. A stone of the Heart Chakra, it can aid its user by promoting compassion and Love, while creating opportunities for deep rooted personal connections. A powerful tool for emotional balance, it is used to bring a sense of peace and calm to chaotic situations. Physically, it is said that green tourmaline can help aid the body with immune system response, as well as afflictions of the heart, circulatory system, and lungs. It is also said to be fantastic stone for increasing energy levels and fostering a healthy libido.