How is Tourmaline Formed? And What is it Used For?  Tourmaline is a gemstone thats found worldwide. It is formed by the moving and crashing of tectonic plates, which has caused the upwelling of molten lava to crystallize. In different parts of the world where tourmaline is mined, its chemical and mineral composition has affected its color spectrum differently, which is what makes tourmaline so attractive. It is found in a wider range of colors than any other gemstone. From black to red, pink, blue, green, violet and colorless. You might say all the colors of the rainbow.

In the 1980’s a mine in Paraiba, Brazil found a whole new range of colors that had never been seen before. As you can imagine these particular tourmalines were in high demand at the time. Generally speaking tourmalines are still rare enough to achieve a good price, although not so rare that they cannot be found.

Often rough tourmalines are found in the shape of prisms,or three sided shapes, that could have one color in the middle and different colors at the ends. One of the most sought after types of tourmaline that have pink and green colors are known as watermelon tourmaline. Only transparent stones are used as gemstones to make jewelry. Other stones are often used in electrical devices, because they omit an electrical charge when heated. In the past tourmaline was considered for those who could not afford the more expensive gemstones such as diamonds or emeralds.

Where Can One Find Tourmaline Mines in the USA?  Today it has become very fashionable and tourmaline jewelry is sold at high end jewelry stores in Beverly Hills. In the USA there are a number of mines in Southern California where tourmalines and other gemstones can be found. One such mine is the Himalaya mine, which is located near Lake Henshaw in San Diego County. The mine is open to the public and for $75 a day they will provide all the necessary digging equipment to screen through dirt that has been displaced by the excavation of the mine. Or if you prefer you can purchase dirt by the bucket. You can also order buckets of dirt by mail order.

How valuable are they?  The value of rough tourmaline is from about $17 per carat, up to $600 per carat, depending on the color, clarity and shape. Nice pieces should be faceted by a gem cutter, and could then be made into jewelry. This is an investment which would greatly increase their retail value.

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