The Journey of Paraiba Tourmaline

Common Trait of Paraiba Tourmaline: Copper and Manganese

There is never end of surprises in the tourmaline world. As new findings of new gem deposits along the way reveal the mystery of Paraiba tourmaline.

In 1989, strikingly neon blue color tourmalines from the Sao Jose da Batalha in the state of Paraiba in northeastern Brazil appeared in the gemstone market. They have colors ranged from saturated neon "windex blue" color to electric blue green. These neon Paraiba tourmalines get their colors from two trace elements, copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) and the tourmalines heated from the original of medium sapphire blue color. Brazil Paraiba tourmaline belongs to the elbaite species.

Meanwhile, more locations of Cu & Mn-containing tourmalines were discovered. The first was in Brazil's Rio Grande Do Norte state, just north of Paraiba state. This new find was also described as "Paraiba tourmaline."

In 2001, yet another Cu & Mn-containing tourmaline locality was discovered, this time in Nigeria. Nigeria Paraiba tourmaline also shows attractive & saturated color but appears darker than Brazil Paraiba’s. The colors of Nigeria Paraiba tourmaline is saturated by natural. Nigeria Paraiba elbaite tourmaline also contains copper and manganese.

Meanwhile "Paraiba glow" elbaite tourmalines were uncovered from alluvial deposit in the Shalawa area of Nampula province north of Zambezia, Mozambique in 2001. However these "Paraiba glow" materials which also were Cu-containing tourmaline were unknown to the gemstone market until 2005 when the tourmalines entered the gemstone market. The trade has quickly accepted to these gems as Cu-bearing Paraiba tourmaline from Mozambique. Mozambique Paraiba tourmaline is similar in hue, tone, and saturation to Brazil Paraiba tourmaline.

The Mozambique copper bearing elbaite Paraiba tourmalines have wide range of colors from blue to green; vivid neon green, electric blue, neon Caribbean blue, and vivid purple. Some of this material is much closer in color to the original Paraiba tourmaline, and often not distinguishable by the naked eye. However most of Mozambique tourmaline material is heated, especially from natural purple-violet hue tourmaline heated to neon blue tourmaline.

Liddicoatite-Elbaite Tourmaline

Recently, in 2010 there is new Mozambique Paraiba tourmalines appeared in the gemstone market. These new tourmalines have colors more intense than the tourmalines from the previous localities in Mozambique. These new mined Mozambique tourmalines contain copper and manganese. Surprisingly, by chemical analysis EDXRF shows rather high calcium (Ca) content as compared with other Paraiba elbaite tourmaline.

Because of the high content of calcium, it is a liddicoatite (Ca-tourmaline type) rather than an elbaite tourmaline (Na-tourmaline type) as previously defined for Paraiba-type tourmaline. The elbaite liddicoatite tourmaline contains both Ca and/or Na, and it is not possible to differentiate this new tourmaline from others without sophisticated chemical analysis technique since the existence of solid solution series between some tourmaline group members complicates differentiation. This new finding is the world first discovery of this type of Cu- bearing elbaite liddicoatite tourmaline which has its color fall in the range of blue to green of the Paraiba-type tourmaline.

Paraiba-type tourmalines from a new mine in Mozambique. Photo by Warinthip K.
The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand

It takes years of laboratory studies, numerous debates, and many lobbies before the gem industry agreed to call the "Paraiba" tourmaline, which is colored by copper and manganese, as a new variety of tourmaline regardless of where it comes from. Currently a good quality Mozambique Cu-bearing Paraiba tourmaline or a Nigeria Cu-bearing Paraiba tourmaline has a strong foothold in the jewelry industry as well as a Brazil Paraiba tourmaline. A gem quality Paraiba tourmaline price is astronomically high, regardless of the origin. Fortunately, there are new findings of new Paraiba tourmaline materials along the way as there are demands.

Chemical & structural analysis of tourmaline reveals the mystery of chemical contents that cause colors in Paraiba tourmaline. However, Colors is always the key to differentiate & value a Paraiba tourmaline.