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/zh-hans/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)

帕拉伊巴碧玺（含铜锂碧玺）是由铜和锰致色的霓虹蓝至蓝绿色锂碧玺品种，以其独特的「霓虹发光」效果区别于所有其他宝石，被誉为20世纪宝石界最重要的发现之一。1987年，巴西矿物学家海托尔·巴博萨在巴西帕拉伊巴州圣若泽达巴塔利亚矿区首次发现，引发全球宝石界震动。帕拉伊巴碧玺的「电光蓝」颜色来源于结构中极微量的铜（通常0.1–1.0%），这在所有宝石矿物中极为独特。1990年代后，在莫桑比克和尼日利亚也发现了含铜碧玺，但原产地巴西帕拉伊巴碧玺依然价格最高。折射率约1.619至1.644，摩氏硬度7至7.5，顶级巴西品质可达每克拉数万至逾十万美元。