MDA1 Tourmaline var. Liddicoatite

Tsarafara, Sahatany Valley, Sahatany Pegmatite Field, Ibity Area, Vakinankaratra (Betafo) Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar

5.6x 3.4x 3.5 cm

$1950

In the United States, Europe and Japan, the majority of available tourmaline is of Afghan or Pakistani origin, largely thanks to the number of Pakistani nationals who export the material.  This is followed closely in terms of quantity by specimens from Brazil, Pala, etc. 

Madagascar is home to some of the most stunningly colored tourmalines, yet good specimens are seldom seen for sale.

This piece is one of the few matrix tourmalines that I was able to acquire.  There is no shortage of minerals in Madagascar, but good pieces are few and far between.  Although this piece is not gemmy, the wine-red color is among the best available from Madagascar, and out of literaly thousands of tourmalines that I saw, this specimen had the largest terminated and undamaged crystal that was available on matrix.

I would estimate that about 99.8% of Malagasy tourmalines are sold as single crystals.