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Tourmaline is a group of minerals that come in many colors and have a variety of physical and chemical properties. It's a popular gemstone for jewelry and is often used in engagement rings.

Description

• Crystal structure

  Tourmaline has a trigonal crystal system and is made up of six-membered rings of cyclosilicate.

• Shape

  Tourmaline crystals are often long and slender, with a triangular cross-section. The ends of the crystals can be asymmetrical, which is called hemimorphism.

• Color

  Tourmaline comes in many colors, including pink, red, green, blue, brown, and black.

• Hardness

  Tourmaline has a hardness of 7–7.5 on the Mohs scale, making it durable enough for everyday wear.

• Electrical properties

  Tourmaline can become electrically charged through heat (pyroelectricity) or pressure (piezoelectricity).

Varieties

• Rubellite: Pink to red tourmaline

• Paraíba: A rare, valuable neon blue to greenish-blue tourmaline

• Watermelon: Tourmaline with a pink center and green outer rim

• Indicolite: Blue tourmaline

• Verdelite: Green tourmaline

• Dravite: Brown tourmaline

• Schorl: Black tourmaline