Paraíba Tourmaline (Cuprian Elbaite)

Add one script tag to your page:

<div data-gemfyi="entity" data-slug="paraiba-tourmaline-cuprian-elbaite"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gemfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

Embed as an iframe:

<iframe src="https://gemfyi.com/iframe/entity/paraiba-tourmaline-cuprian-elbaite/?style=modern&theme=light" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%"></iframe>

Paste the URL in WordPress, Medium, or Ghost:

https://gemfyi.com/ja/gems/paraiba-tourmaline-cuprian-elbaite/

Shields.io-compatible SVG badge:

![Paraíba Tourmaline (Cuprian Elbaite)](https://gemfyi.com/badge/entity/paraiba-tourmaline-cuprian-elbaite.svg)

Web Component:

<gemfyi-entity slug="paraiba-tourmaline-cuprian-elbaite"></gemfyi-entity>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gemfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

Colored by copper and manganese into an electric, luminous neon glow, Paraiba tourmaline is the blue to blue-green variety of elbaite that stands apart from every other blue gem. It was first uncovered in the late 1980s in Paraiba state, Brazil, after Heitor Dimas Barbosa spent years tunneling in search of it; later, similar copper-bearing tourmalines were found in Mozambique and Nigeria. Belonging to the trigonal system, it measures 7.0 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Though classed as a moderately priced semi-precious stone, the Brazilian original commands the highest per-carat prices of any tourmaline and competes with fine sapphire, ruby, and emerald in the luxury market.

Physical & Optical Properties

Category Semi-Precious Gems

Mohs Hardness 7.0 – 7.5

Specific Gravity 3.04 – 3.13

Refractive Index 1.618 – 1.643

Crystal System Trigonal

Color various

Birefringence 0.018

Mohs Hardness

Mohs hardness of Paraíba Tourmaline (Cuprian Elbaite) shown against the ten reference minerals, from talc (1) to diamond (10).

Mohs	Reference mineral	Paraíba Tourmaline (Cuprian Elbaite)
1	Talc
2	Gypsum
3	Calcite
4	Fluorite
5	Apatite
6	Orthoclase
7	Quartz	●
8	Topaz
9	Corundum
10	Diamond

Crystal System

Value & Market

Price Tier Moderate ($50-500/ct)

Where to Buy Paraíba Tourmaline (Cuprian Elbaite)

Blue Nile Fine jewelry retailer

James Allen Gemstone jewelry

Brilliant Earth Ethically sourced gems

Amazon Wide selection

Links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Treatments

Color is often improved or modified by heat-treatment, typically purplish-violet to intense blue-green - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 5 Beware of imitations such as synthetic hydrothermal beryl, apatite and assembled gems - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 5 7 to 7.5Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) 3.04 to 3.13Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) 1.618 to 1.643Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Uniaxial/-Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) 0.018 to 0.021Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Intense "electrical" colors: typically mint-green to sky-blue, sapphire-blue, violet to purplishHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Traces of copperLapidary Journal (1999) TrigonalHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Paraíba Tourmaline information at mindat.org Brazil  Wilson, W. E. (2002): Cuprian elbaite from the Batalha Mine, Paraíba, Brazil. Mineralogical Record, 33: 127-137

About Paraíba Tourmaline (Cuprian Elbaite)

パライバトルマリン（銅含有エルバイト）は、銅とマンガンによって着色されたエルバイト系トルマリンのネオンブルー〜青緑色変種で、他のいかなる青色宝石とも異なる電気的な「蛍光」輝きが最大の特徴です。1980年代後半にブラジルのパライバ州でハイトール・ジマス・バルボーサが長年の採掘の末に発見し、その後モザンビーク・ナイジェリアでも同様の銅含有トルマリンが見つかっています。ブラジル産オリジナルはすべてのトルマリン中で最高のカラット単価を誇り、高級宝石市場でファインサファイア・ルビー・エメラルドに匹敵する評価を受けています。