Pala Chief Mine, San Diego County, California

Small Cabinet, 4.0 x 1.4 x 1.4 cm

A stout, well-formed elbaite tourmaline crystal from the famous Pala Chief Mine, one of the most historic gem tourmaline localities in the United States. The crystal measures 4.0 × 1.4 × 1.4 cm and displays strong vertical striations along the prism faces. The zoning of the crystal begins with a deep green at the base. The second zone is clear and somewhat gemmy. Towards the top, there is a well-defined green band, afterwards the termination ends again in deep green. These color zones really pop when the crystal is backlit! The crystal stands well for display and is mounted on an acrylic base. The termination shows minor natural damage, but the prism faces remain sharp and well preserved, making this an attractive and representative example of historic California tourmaline.

This specimen shows the classic pegmatite habit associated with the celebrated mines of the Pala Pegmatite District, which produced some of the most important American tourmalines during the early 20th century.