Tourmaline (Double Terminated)

A double terminated, translucent, candy-pink Tourmaline crystal with minor Quartz and Lepidolite from the world-famous Himalaya mine at Mesa Grade, California, USA.  At 5.5 cm tall by 2.5 x 2.4 cm in section, this fine example is most probably Elbaite but is not labelled as such.  Elbaite is a specific species within the Tourmaline Group.  The prism has fine yet prominent striated faces giving a brushed silk lustre and is mainly light candy-pink containing zones of almost colourless and occasional creamy-white Tourmaline.  One terminated end is a complex mix of trigonal pyramids that bifurcate to coral-pink and rich-plum.  The opposite termination is glassy and highly lustrous and is capped by a subtle 1 mm deep pale lime-green band.  A small 5 mm crystal of fibrous cream Tourmaline sits at one edge of the termination.  A great and different Tourmaline from the Himalaya mine.