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
Collector Tourmaline - Blue/Green Bi Color Tourmaline crystal from Nigeria, Top Tri Color Tourmaline crystal from Afghanistan, Elbaite (watermelon) Tourmaline from Nigeria, Maine Tourmaline USA, Chrome Tourmaline from Tanzania, Stewart Hot Pink Tourmaline from California, Siberite Tourmaline
Huge Tourmaline - Unusually large crystals and pieces of Tourmaline
Indicolite Tourmaline - Large Indicolite Tourmaline crystals from Nigeria, Indicolite Blue/Green Tourmaline from Nigeria, Indicolite Tourmaline from Nigeria
Multi & Bi Color Tourmaline - Green/Blue Bi Color Tourmaline crystals from Nigeria, Bi Color Tourmaline
from Nigeria, pink/green Tourmaline, blue/green Tourmaline, clear/pink/green Tourmaline
Tourmaline - Nigerian Tourmaline Parcels, Nigerian Tourmaline Mix, Huge Nigerian Tourmaline, Rubellite Tourmaline, Achroite Tourmaline, Dravite Tourmaline, Verdelite Tourmaline
Tourmaline2 - Brazilian Tourmaline Mix, Afghanistan Pastel Tourmaline, Pink Rind Brazilian Tourmaline, Mozambique green/yellow Tourmaline, Peach Mauve Brazilian Tourmaline, Siberian Bi-Color from Siberia, Zambian Tourmaline, Sunset Tourmaline from Kenya, Rubellite Tourmaline, Achroite Tourmaline, Dravite Tourmaline, Verdelite Tourmaline
Tourmaline3 - Kelly Green Tourmaline from Nigeria, Nigerian Green Tourmaline from Nigeria, African Green Crystal Tourmaline, Brazilian Green Crystal Tourmaline, Verdelite Tourmaline
Tourmaline4 - Zambian Tourmaline Nodules from Zambia, Rubellite Tourmaline, Achroite Tourmaline, Dravite Tourmaline, Verdelite Tourmaline
Tourmaline5 - Crystal Green Tourmaline from Nigeria, Green Crystal Tourmaline from Nigeria, Verdelite Tourmaline
Tourmaline6 - Dravite, Sunset Tourmaline, Mozambique
Tourmaline Parcels - Parcels of various types

Bargain Links:
Tourmaline Bargains
Indicolite Tourmaline Bargains

Return to Tourmaline Information Index

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