Tourmaline: Including the connection of San Diego Tourmaline Mines and China
Bill Larson,
President of Pala International, USA
Throughout history connoisseurs of colored gemstones, mineral collectors, even royalty have treasured tourmalines for the multitude of colors, beautiful crystal formations, and its durability and rarity.
Tourmaline is the name given to a group of minerals, with over 14 species. The name is derived from a Sinhalese term ¡°Turmali¡± meaning mixed gemstone lots. In western literature the first mention of tourmaline is possibly thought to be referenced in Theophrastus (ca 315 BC) as Lyngurium, described as ¡°green at one end and light color on the other¡±. Roman manuscripts mention ¡°cylindrical stones possessing two colors, pink and green¡± from north Africa, possibly Ethiopia. Tourmaline was first illustrated in Conrad Gesner¡¯s1565 book ¡°De Omne Rerum Fossilium¡± in a lithograph labeled ¡°samragdus Bresilicus¡± or ¡°emerald from Brazil¡±. Upon inspection, this illustration is obviously a crystal of green tourmaline showing striae parallel to the crystals length. By the 1700¡¯s the name tourmaline appeared in print often. John Ruskin in his book ¡°Ethics of the dust¡± printed in1891 characterized the composition of tourmaline in a favorite quote as ¡°more like a medieval doctor¡¯s prescription than the making of a r
espectable mineral¡±.
Tourmaline is a complex boro silicate of aluminum containing variable amounts of alkalai metals, calcium, iron, and manganese.
Tourmaline crystallizes in the hexagonal system. It has a hardness of 7-7.5, has very poor cleavage, conchoidal fracture, is strongly piezoelectric, and has good toughness. Of the numerous species that make up the tourmaline group it is mostly the elbaite or liddacoatite species that interest gem and mineral collectors. These two species come in gemmy crystals in nearly all colors, hues and saturation. One famous Brazilian dealer has a collection of over 700 colors. The causes of these colors are complex being due to color centers, traces of metals, and ion charge changes.
Tourmaline has wide distribution and is found in most parts of the world. Major deposits of tourmaline are found in Brazil, United States (especially Maine and California), Afghanistan, Russia, China, Burma, Vietnam, and through out much of Africa, especially Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Mocambique, and Madagascar.
Tourmaline gemstones: A worldwide excitement has transformed tourmaline gem appreciation in the past 15 years with the discovery of a copper bearing ¡°neon blue¡± tourmaline, first found in Paraiba state, Brazil. This material has such a distinct color range it is now known in the gemstone trade as a variety: Paraiba. Further discoveries of this beautiful gem are now found in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, also in Nigeria, and more recently in Mocambique. All are copper bearing and have ranges of the ¡°neon¡± blue and green colors. Gems of the finer colors have been regularly sold in the market for 5000 to 20,000 us dollars per carat. Some dealers have even been asking more, making Paraiba the most desirable of cut tourmaline gemstones. All other colors of tourmaline are also exciting and much more affordable. The tourmaline gem varieties are called many terms; Achroite (colorless), Rubellite (red) ; Bi-colors, (tourmalines can exhibit two or more colors in one gem). These terms are numerous and a little confusing so often using the color as description is preferable; ie for indicolite, simply use blue tourmaline. Looking in the pricing guides most of these faceted tourmalines are valued if clean and fine from 100 to 1000 per carat. Cabochon and carved tourmalines are even more affordable and still beautiful for jewelry designers worldwide.
Pala Internationals connection to tourmaline starts in 1968 with the purchase of the famous Stewart Lithia mine in Pala, California. This mine was famous for producing tourmaline in the 1890¡¯s and had been dormant for decades. In 1969 Pala International miners rediscovered the ¡°lost¡± tourmaline adit and started producing pink tourmalines once again. In 1971 Pala International leased the Tourmaline Queen, and Pala Chief mines in Pala, California. In 1972 while mining in the Tourmaline Queen Mine, we hit the famous Blue-Cap pocket described by the curator of the American Museum of Natural History, Dr. Vincent Manson as the ¡°find of the century¡±. In 1977 Pala International leased the Himalaya Mine and started exploratory workings. In 1981 after driving a 700 foot long tunnel the original pegmatite dike containing gemmy tourmaline pockets was encountered at depth and good tourmaline production was once again available in San Diego county. Various buyers and scholars came from all over the world to visit the Himalaya mine, including several curators of the Bejing Natural History Museum; guests of Dr Peter Keller.
The China connection: Chinese gemstone carving and the Empress Dowager¡¯s passion for colored stones.
The Empress Dowager, who ruled China from 1860 till 1908, became known as Tz¡¯u hsi. Her preferences in gems influenced the imperial court and the lives of prominent Chinese. While her favorite color was blue, she had a passion for red and even pink red. Her favorite gem was jade but, she was also fascinated by many other colored gems. By the late 18th century the Chinese were the leading gemstone carvers in the world. Chinese buyers searched worldwide for supplies of colorful gem rough from1890 till 1908. It was during this period that California pink tourmaline became available. Dr Richard Jahns and other have estimated the production San Diego tourmaline till 1910 to be approximately 90 tons! Of this total the majority was sold to China. Most local dealers remembered fondly the Chinese buyers as being fair and honest. The preferred tourmaline material was what is described as cabochon quality, free of large cracks and slightly included, perfect for carving. All colors of pink were purchased but the finer pink-reds brought up to $20.00 per pound! Locals remember that to keep the rough price consistent green caps were often broken off and thrown away in the dumps to be found decades later by excited rockhounds. Orders for rough tourmaline were delivered to the Himalaya Mine for so many barrels of tourmaline! These orders were made through the Himalaya mining company of New York to the mine manger Tannenbaum and local Mesa Grande cowboys were then hired to dig out the tourmalines till the order was filled and shipped. Payment was handled through the import-export bank of New York. With the demise of the Empress Dowager in 1908 the Chinese gem market fell off and most of the San Diego tourmaline mines closed shortly thereafter. Some California Chinese continued to be involved with tourmaline, including ¡°Tom¡± Quin a gem buyer, who leased the Himalaya Mine in 1916 and purchased the property in 1926. He was known to give away tourmaline crystals as favors at lotteries up and down the California coast. The mine was in his family till 1950 when he sold it to Ralph Potter.
Chinese tourmaline carvings are scattered throughout the world, in private collections and in many major museums. There is a fabulous pink tourmaline pendant carving on display in the British Museum from the early 1900¡¯s, exquisitely carved. The Empress Dowager¡¯s extensive personal gemstone and jewelery collection was reputed to be kept in 3000 boxes according to various references. She even had a secret storage room constructed behind the headboard of her bed. A part of this collection is on display in the gem rooms of the ¡°Forbidden City¡±. Pink tourmaline is prominently exhibited as jewel encrusted borders on various paintings. There are individual carved items including a superb deep pink-red pendant on a silk necklace with imperial jade. Upon her death in 1908, Tz¡¯u hsi was literally enshrined in gemstones: including, 108 gold, jade, and colored gemstone Buddhas placed on her body. At each of her feet were placed 200 bright colored gemstone carved into peaches, pears, apricots, and dates.
This era of fabulous gemstone carvings is past; the splendor created by Chinese artisans is history, including San Diego tourmaline. BUT:
The future looks bright for new tourmaline artists and carvings not only created by Chinese artisans but collected and appreciated by Chinese connoisseurs and Chinese museums throughout the Peoples Republic of China.
In 1972, the discovery of a large pocket of tourmaline established Bill Larson¡¯s company as one of the prime sources of tourmaline in the world, and the only firm actively mining pink tourmaline in all of North America. Today, Pala International is involved in mining operations for silver minerals in Mexico, dredging the alluvial gravel¡¯s of Sri Lanka, mining tsavorite £¨travertine£© and tanzanite in Kenya and Tanzania, as well as currently mining tourmaline at the Himalaya Mine in Mesa
Grande. A founding member of the AGTA, Mr. Larson served on the Board of Directors for 6 years, and chaired the Ethics & Grievance Committee for several years. He is also a founding member of ICA, and a registered supplier of AGS. He is a frequent lecturer on gemstones, tourmaline mining, and overseas gem mining and gemstones. He is a member of the 24 Karat Club and JIC, a life member of the American Museum of Natural History, and served 6 years on the Board of Governors at the San Diego Museum of Natural History; the only gemstone dealer so honored in the board¡¯s history.
To showcase fine colored stones, jewelry and objects d¡¯art, Mr. Larson established The Collector, two retail stores managed by his wife, Jeanne. He holds an advanced degree in geological engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.