Tourmaline (Chrome Dravite)

A splendid 3.4 cm tall Chrome Dravite Tourmaline crystal from Nadonjukin in the Manyara Region of Tanzania.  This ex-matrix, semi-translucent crystal displays a multitude of shades of vivid rich green, the colour determined by the chromium content of the Tourmaline.  Chrome-green, lime green, acidic apple green, yellow green and even speckles of golden-orange Tourmaline are distributed throughout the prism and this looks totally spectacular when backlit.  The prism is triangular in cross section; vertically striated and has a shallow pyramidal trigonal termination.  The termination, it must be pointed out, has two chipped patches with shallow conchoidal fractures parallel to the faces.  Aside from these, the terminations display excellent asymmetric hexagonal growth patterns.  A most pleasing miniature Chrome Dravite Tourmaline crystal from Tanzania.