Nigeria Tourmaline

In recent years, Nigeria has become an important source of pink and green tourmaline, blue green tourmaline, bi-colored (pink-green), tri-colored, and multi-colored tourmaline for the gem trade.

Nigeria tourmaline has fancy colors. In pink tone, Nigeria tourmaline color can range from orange pink, cranberry pink, purplish pink to light pink. In green tone, Nigeria tourmaline color can range from pastel green, yellowish green, olive green, turquoise green, rich green to dark green. In blue tone, Nigeria tourmaline color can range from deep blue, intense blue, vivid blue to aqua blue. A Nigeria tourmaline with pastel color tone resembled to those of Main or Paraiba tourmaline commands high price.

What make a gem collector appreciates and endears about Nigerian tourmaline is the fact that most of Nigerian tourmaline possesses a primary and secondary color. Medium tone Nigerian tourmaline is strong dichroic and full of brilliance. A Nigerian tourmaline displays color variances when it is viewed at different angles.

Pink Nigeria Tourmaline. Photo by Brilliant Gems

The major source of Nigeria tourmaline is from the mines in Ibadan region. Tourmalines came in large, clean crystals, and a saturated color which produce good yield after cut. After the discovery in a large quantity in 1998, Nigeria tourmaline roughs in big size were commonly found in the gem trade however less than two years the deposit was mined out.

Nigeria Paraiba Tourmaline

Nigeria also produced Nigeria Paraiba tourmaline. A spectacular deposit of Nigeria tourmaline was recently discovered in the new area and the quantities were limited. These tourmalines have electric blue colors, vivid blue tourmaline, saturated blue green tourmaline, and neon green tourmaline. The saturated colors are not caused from copper and resembled to that of some Para?ba tourmaline from northeast Brazil. Pink, green, purple color Nigeria Paraiba tourmalines are usually non-heated but some neon blue and glowing blue green color Nigeria Paraiba tourmaline may be gone through low heated treatment.

Nigeria Paraiba Tourmaline (Ashley Tourmaline). Photography by Ken Larsen. Photo by mineralsciences.si.edu

Pink Red Tourmaline from Oyo Valley of Western Nigeria

Time changes and trend has faded.

Oro Fino Red Tourmaline from Brazil was the legendary source of some of the world's finest red tourmaline. Only few dealers or collectors have a chance to buy it. Ruby-like pure red hue tourmaline with the absolute minimum of secondary hue, even with many inclusions, was coveted by collectors. When new Nigerian tourmaline materials were discovered in Ibadan, Nigeria during 1998, then there were chances for tourmaline lovers or collectors to enjoy "the rainbow collections of tourmaline".

Nigerian tourmaline comes in variety of colors. Nigeria Pink red tourmaline has vivid pink red colors and tends to possess purple, orange, or pink as a secondary hue. The exciting part is fine quality Nigeria red tourmaline is usually visually clean. And since Nigerian tourmaline rough tend to possess vivid pink red colors; most Nigerian tourmaline was sold as it was, with no treatment. It cannot help tourmaline lovers or collectors are paying more attention to vivid pink red colors good clarity Nigerian tourmaline than pure red colors with dull hue (from inclusions) Brazil red tourmaline.

New Discovery Creates a New Legendary

While the Nigerian tourmaline supplies from Ibadan is gone. Most materials were mounted in jewelry or were in big dealers' inventory. There was good news for tourmaline aficionados. A significant deposit of pink red tourmaline was found in the Oyo Valley of Western Nigeria in 2009. The new Nigerian tourmaline find is very outstanding. The material was notable for its high transparency and bright coloration. The Oyo Valley Nigeria tourmaline tends to possess vivid pink-red hue with purple, pink, or orange as a secondary hue.

The largest material piece weighed 7 kg and contained abundant gem-quality transparent areas. The material fell into three main color groups: slightly purplish red (50%), darker red (10%), and “bubble gum” pink (40%). Nigeria Pink-red tourmaline from both old mine and Oyo valley mine has established an unrivalled red tourmaline aristocracy. Srilanka, Afghanistan, or Madagascar tourmaline is unable to compete with Nigerian tourmaline in terms of colors saturation.

Some exceptional quality Nigerian tourmalines are sourced after and prices tend to increase when time has passed.

Mozambique Tourmaline

Mozambique tourmaline has fancy colors, varies from light neon blue to green, violet rich pink to light pink, light neon green to dark green, purple, olive green, orangey yellow to green to orangey brown, and etc.

Most tourmaline found in Mozambique is elbaite tourmaline in the granite pegmatite deposit. Dravite and liddicoatite tourmaline with green, brownish green, greenish yellow and orange-yellow to green or brown colors is well known from Nampula and Zambzia provinces of Mozambique.