Tourmaline (Fluor-Liddicoatite)

Liddicoatite is one of the most interesting, colorful and extremely rare Tourmaline species out there. This piece was collected in 2013 and was sold to me as being Liddicoatite, but as of 2011, Liddicoatite is a “non-approved” mineral species (it’s now called Fluor-Liddicoatite), but for the purposes of this crystal, I'm going to refer to it as Liddicoatite.

There are more localities for Liddicoatite in Madagascar than any other country worldwide. Originally, it was named after the gemologist Richard Liddicoat, the former president of the Gemological Institute of America. Many of you are probably familiar with the great multi-color polished slabs of Tourmaline from Madagascar that show a wonderful array of patterns and color arrangements, but typically Liddicoatite is not often seen in euhedral, well-terminated crystals.

This specimen is an attractive and good-sized crystal with superb form, luster and sharpness, and interesting pinkish-golden when backlit depending on the light in which it’s viewed. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the piece is the fact that it is attached to a thin layer of white Feldspar on the back. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a matrix specimen, but the VAST majority of these crystals are loose singles with no associated minerals, so this piece is important for the simple fact that it has another species present. These specimens seem to be dwindling fast, and the pegmatites that are producing them are running dry quickly according to Dr. Federico Pezzotta, who sold this specimen personally, as he collected it himself in Madagascar.

Specimen #MAD61609