FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jason]

You know how we always are talking about you don't need a bunch of money to get good specimens and just be patient and resourseful with your money? Well i just picked this up..don't know if i am allowed to post a price but i think it's the best deal i have ever gotten on any specimen..just came in the mail today..pink and green Minas Gerais tourm. crystal..save for just a couple small nicks and dings here and there this crystal has little damage ..that area at the bottom is smaller tourm. crystals that started to form(the bumps) but stopped and that white area is whatever host rock was sitting next to it and not the tourmaline crystal itself..fully formed with a nice smooth flat-topped termination with excellent luster 146.4 grams 8cm x 3cm

[Jesse Fisher]

I could be wrong, but the tourmaline looks very much like Himalaya Mine, to me.

[Jason]

Thats what I thought too..with that nice pink color..but seller said Minas Gerais..was a person who doesn't sell minerals and has had these (afew other things) for awhile so there is a chance that it's not brazilian..i think he told me he picked it up in San Francisco

[Peter]

I certainly agree with Jesse

[Jason]

I have contacted someone who used to mine/work at the T-King and has quite a few Himalaya specs. and knows lots abouyt that particular mine to see what he says..maybe he can shed some light on it

[Luiz Menezes]

Hello Amethystguy, Jesse and Peter:

The third photo of the series look like a rubelite from Himalaya mine, but all others look very much like a rubelite from Cruzeiro mine.

As far as I know if you have 2 tourmaline crystals with the same shape and color, and one is from any locality on the USA and the second from any locality in Brazil the piece from the USA will reach a higher value; based on this fact why would somebody sell a rubelite from Himalaya mine pretending that it is from Minas Gerais?

Luiz

[Peter]

I see what you say Luiz and you have great experience of Cruzeiro. I have seen some fine Rubellites from the Cruzeiro, even the Doctors photographs from his early days. but not all pockets like you!

Although the photography and color rendering, as well as screen setting is a tricky business, I still would say to 99.9% it really lookes like very very typical Himalaya Mine.

[John S. White]

I have to agree with Peter on this one, Himalaya mine for sure. They are very distinctive.

[Jason]

Yes I think you guys are right..I emailed all my pics and info to an expert on tourmalines from S. Cal and I gave him Luis's info about the brazilian locale too which he is also very familiar with..this is what he said "Yes it is definitely a tourmaline crystal from the Himalaya mine, Mesa Grande, San Diego county, California. " Thanks everyone for your help. No other mineral place online can you find more knowledgeable and hepful people than FMF..thanks everyone