ELBAITE TOURMALINE (miniature)

Elbaite is a sodium, lithium, and aluminum boro-silicate mineral characterized by the chemical formula Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6Si6O18(BO3)3(OH)4, and it belongs to the tourmaline group of six-member ring cyclosilicates. This mineral exists in three series: dravite, fluor-liddicoatite, and schorl, which means that naturally occurring specimens with the ideal endmember formula are rare. As a gemstone, elbaite is highly sought after for its diverse color range and crystal quality. First identified on the island of Elba, Italy, in 1913, it has since been located in various regions worldwide, including a significant find in 1994 at O'Grady Lakes in the Yukon, Canada. Elbaite typically forms in igneous and metamorphic rocks, often found alongside minerals such as lepidolite, microcline, and spodumene in granite pegmatites, as well as andalusite and biotite in schist, and molybdenite and cassiterite in hydrothermal deposits. This mineral is allochromatic, allowing trace impurities to impart color to the crystals, and it exhibits strong pleochroism, showcasing a full spectrum of colors, sometimes with multicolor zonation. Additionally, some elbaite crystals contain microscopic acicular inclusions that create a cat's eye effect when polished into cabochons.