Pink Tourmaline rough on metal stand #8

Tourmaline is a popular mineral group with a gigantic variety in species and most importantly colour. De most important varieties are Schorl, Uvite, Dravite, Liddicoatite and Elbaite. The last ones come in all colour of the rainbow and the first only come in black. Uvite and Dravite are exactly in between, with sometimes very clear and bright crystals, but mostly darker ones. Specific varieties in colour of for example Elbaite also have their own names like Rubellite (red/pink) and Verdellite (Green). Tourmaline is a fairly modern gemstone; first discovered in the 1500s but officially described as a sperate mineral in 1892. The name come from the Sinhalese ‘toramalli’ which means ‘mixed stones’, because before the official description the stone was often confused with other stones of the same colour.