Paraiba Tourmaline

Paraíba tourmaline is an exceptionally rare type of tourmaline prized for its vivid, neon-like bluish-green hues.

In 1988, gem miners in Paraíba, Brazil, uncovered intensely saturated blue and green tourmalines unlike anything previously seen.  Their extraordinary color is caused by trace amounts of copper, often accompanied by manganese.  Since this initial discovery, copper-bearing tourmalines with similar colors have also been found in other parts of Brazil, as well as in Nigeria and Mozambique.  Even when mined outside the state of Paraíba, these gems are still referred to as Paraíba tourmaline if their distinctive color is due to copper content.

Colors range from neon blue, blue-green, and greenish blue to mint green, and more rarely violet or purple.  Paraíba tourmalines are often heat-treated to enhance or adjust their color.  At present, it is not possible to determine the exact geographic origin of a copper-bearing tourmaline solely by gemological testing.