Elbaite - Tourmaline Double Terminated

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A long and slender pink double terminated Elbaite Tourmaline crystal, 7.0 cm long, from a recently discovered gem Tourmaline pocket found in the mining district of Coronel Murta in Minas Gerais, Brazil. This ex-matrix Elbaite crystal is a uniform delicate rose-pink, with a narrow, pink-tinged colourless band 3 mm deep set immediately beneath a 1 mm thick cap of intense cerise-pink on the flat pinacoid termination. This crystal has undergone one repair following a single break during tectonic disturbance while in-situ, a common tendency with Tourmaline pockets. This repair has been done by experts in this field, rendering the break and repair invisible. In cross-section the prism forms a convexly-curved equilateral triangle. The opposite terminations are quite different. One, a simple flat pinacoid, with a smooth frosted face is likely the original termination as it is highlighted by the cerise band. The opposite termination is likely secondary, formed by the deposition of Elbaite following initial natural breakage. This termination is stepped in repeated waves and overgrown by sub-mm white double terminated Quartz crystals. The prism is transparent to semi-transparent, mainly of gemmy zones dispersed throughout micro-crackled crystal growth. The prism faces are finely and complexly striated. A fabulous double terminated Elbaite from Brazil.