Elbaite - Tourmaline with Quartz

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This lovey miniature, which provides a choice combination of Elbaite Tourmaline in various shades of pink with some tiny, intensely snow-white Quartz crystals, is from the Coronel Murta pegmatite in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The pocket containing these crystals was discovered in 2019 and since then the Elbaite has undergone a process of cleaning and preparation. Such processes are necessary as gem pockets are often filled with tenacious clays and the larger Tourmaline crystals may have suffered tectonically-induced damage. A 4.3 cm tall cerise-pink Elbaite crystal stands proud of an enveloping ring of translucent, acicular, bubble gum-pink Elbaite crystals, all terminating in naturally etched, micro-castellated pinacoids. The milky-white Quartz crystals, some of which are terminated, are developed to 6 mm long and provide contrast to the specimen. A great cluster of Elbaite Tourmaline crystals from Coronel Murta, mounted leaning slightly on a small, colourless acrylic base.