Indicolite Tourmaline

Color: Blue, sometimes with a hint of green
Moh’s Hardness: 7-7.5
Refractive Index: 1.616-1.652
Critical Angle: 38.23°
Specific Gravity: 3.02-3.26
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Uneven, small conchoidal.
Dispersion: Medium (.017)
Heat Sensitivity: Can be delicate and care must be taken when dopping with heat and wax.
Dichroic: Strong (many color variations)
Birefringence (double refraction): Medium (.014-.024)
Crystal structure: Hexagonal

Treatments: Generally not treated, but sometimes heated to lighten dark rough...

What I prefer to polishing with: Alumina oxide with a tin lap (scored).

Jeff's Comments: Cuts and polishes like any other Tourmaline... Can be problematic, some rough seems to be under stress and it is not unusual to have fractures show up during cutting. Some rough from certain locations is very brittle (maybe from heating, there is no way to be sure). Orientation is important, go for the best color, "c" axis is often closed or dark.

Design Notes: About any Tourmaline design will work well, although I generally prefer a shallow checkerboard on darker rough. My Smith Bar is a very good choice for dark axis "c" rough. Also most of my reflector designs work very well...

Design Links:
Signature #4 - This is good for about any rough
Easy Emerald - This is a classic and works well on poor "c" axis colored stones
Smith Bar - This is a classic and works well on poor "c" axis colored stones

Rough Links:
Tourmaline - Index of Tourmaline Rough
Parcels - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline
Parcels 2 - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline
Parcels 3 - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline
Parcels 4 - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline

Collector Tourmaline - Indicolite, bi colors, unusual & rare colors
Collector Tourmaline 2 - Indicolite, bi colors, unusual & rare colors
Special Tourmaline - Rare and unusual pieces
Huge Tourmaline - Top quality individual pieces

Chrome Tourmaline - Chrome Tourmaline
Indicolite Tourmaline - Blue, blue/green African, Brazilian
Multi & Bi Color Tourmaline - Nigerian, African, pink/green, blue/green

Tourmaline - Nigerian, various colors
Tourmaline 2 - Nigerian Tourmaline, African nodules
Tourmaline 3 - Kelly green, crystal green, Africa
Tourmaline 4 - Zambian nodules
Tourmaline 5 - Brazilian, various colors
Tourmaline 6 - Dravite, Mozambique
Tourmaline 7 - Sunset Tourmaline
Tourmaline 8 - Afghanistan Tourmaline
Tourmaline 9 - Afghanistan Tourmaline
Tourmaline10 - Schorl Tourmaline

Bargain Links:
Tourmaline Bargains
Indicolite Tourmaline Bargains

Return to Tourmaline Information Index

E-mail to inquire or order: jeff@faceters.com