Elbaite with Lepidolite

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The sharpness in shape and form of this individual 5.1 cm long prismatic Elbaite tourmaline crystal from the gem pegmatites at Coronel Murta in Minas Gerais state, Brazil is excellent. Its upper termination is a flat pinacoid face, smooth and glassy and along its length are classy, typical tourmaline growth striations. Not only is it an excellent shape, but its colour is intense and zoned - shifting from a long, lower section of strawberry red, through a thin teal blue-green section upwards to a raspberry red/pink tip. With backlighting these colours really do excel. One thin paler coloured prismatic Elbaite crystal branches off from the main crystal at a shallow angle and a few small patches of pale lilac-grey Lepidolite are seen around the edges near to the base of the crystal. No repairs are reported and it is mounted on a short cylindrical acrylic base for display.