Elbaite Tourmaline: Little Three mine, Ramona, California USA

Description

Species: Elbaite Tourmaline, Albite var. Cleavelandite

Locality: Little Three mine, Ramona, San Diego County, California USA

Dimensions: 8.4 x 5 x 4.5 cm. (310 grams)

This is an excellent large, unusually-gemmy green tourmaline crystal from the famous Little Three mine. With even minimal lighting the rich bottle-green crystal just glows, and it is in great condition as well, with minor cleavelandite on one side. The Little Three pegmatite is noted for it’s superb specimens of spessartine garnet, topaz, schorl, and elbaite, though typically the elbaite crystals are much darker and more opaque than this fine example. From the noted collection of pegmatite expert and scientist Dr. Eugene Foord. Mark Cross photo.