Paraíba Tourmaline (Cuprian Elbaite)

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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: 7.0 – 7.5

1 Soft10 Hard

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

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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)

Paraíba tourmaline is the neon blue to blue-green variety of elbaite tourmaline uniquely colored by copper and manganese, producing an electric luminous "neon" glow that distinguishes it from all other blue gems. It was first discovered in the late 1980s in Paraíba state, Brazil, by Heitor Dimas Barbosa after years of persistent tunneling, and later similar copper-bearing tourmalines were found in Mozambique and Nigeria. The Brazilian original commands the highest prices per carat of any tourmaline and rivals the finest sapphires, rubies, and emeralds in the luxury gem market.