Tourmaline Var. Fluor-Liddicoatite - image 1

Tourmaline Var. Fluor-Liddicoatite - image 2

Tourmaline Var. Fluor-Liddicoatite - image 3

Tourmaline Var. Fluor-Liddicoatite - image 4

Tourmaline Var. Fluor-Liddicoatite

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The primary tourmaline you see from here is technically now called "Fluor-liddicoatites." Those from this locality represent the classic style for complexly patterned slices, showing the amazingly subtle gradations of color banding that occurs in these chemically-rich tourmalines. The colors range from various shades of olive green to clear to a subtle electric pink. You can even see a faint, dark pink trigonal representation of the A1, A2, A3 axes. The patterns and colors of the interior change, in a graded pattern that could never be guessed at from outside! This particular crystal slice is large for such quality. It is unique and beautiful, as well as highly educational about the nature of this rare tourmaline variety which is found at its best in Madagascar. Liddicoatite was approved as a new species by the International Mineralogical Association in 1976, and was later revised to Fluor-liddicoatite. It is one of the species in the Tourmaline group and was named for Richard T. Liddicoat (1918-2002), a gemologist and former president of the Gemological Institute of America. Liddicoatite is one of the few routinely sliced and polished species found in serious mineral collections. The slice is gemmy and of the highest quality.