Host: The Gemmological Society of Japan
Pages 18
Copper-bearing tourmaline, which shows vivid "neon blue" and blue to green colors, is now one of the most popular colored gemstone in the market place as known as "Paraíba tourmaline". Paraíba tourmaline has been considered to be an elbaite like most of other gem quality tourmalines since its discovery in late 1980s till liddicoatitic ones were reported in 2010 (Karampelas and Klemm, 2010). However, no other cuprian liddicoatites have been reported in detail.
Thirteen samples examined in GIA's Tokyo laboratory were classified as Ca-rich and Li-rich liddicoatitic tourmaline by LA-ICP-MS. Comparing with cuprian elbaites from Brazil, Nigeria and Mozambique, these cuprian liddicoatites were revealed to have characteristic features of minor and trace elements. Geographic origins of these cuprian liddicoatites are not known at the moment.
