Fun Facts on Paraiba Tourmaline:
In 1989, miners discovered a unique and brightly colored variety
of tourmaline in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. This new type of tourmaline, which soon became known as Paraiba Tourmaline,
came in unusually vivid blues and greens. These colors are often described as "neon" since they appear to glow.
Much
of the Paraiba Tourmaline from Brazil actually comes from the neighboring state of Rio Grande do Norte. Material from Rio
Grande do Norte is often somewhat less intense in color, but many fine gems are found there. It was determined that the element
Copper was important in the coloration of this gemstone.
In the late 1990s, copper-containing tourmaline was found in
Nigeria and a more recent African discovery from Mozambique has also produced beautiful tourmaline colored by copper, similar
to the Paraiba Tourmaline found in Brazil.
