Paraiba
What is a Tourmaline?
"Tourmaline" is the name of a large group of boron silicate minerals that share a common crystal structure and similar physical properties - but vary tremendously in chemical composition.
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Tourmaline is one of the most popular gemstones because it occurs in every color of the spectrum. Jewelers and gemologists use trade names for different colors of tourmaline to simplify communications with their customers. Red tourmaline is sold as "rubellite." Dark blue tourmaline is sold as "indicolite." Dark green tourmaline is sold as "chrome tourmaline." Black tourmaline is sold as "schorl."
Paraiba Tourmaline
In 1990, spectacular electric-blue tourmaline, colored by trace amounts of copper, was found in the state of Paraiba, Brazil. The material was named "paraiba" after its locality.
Like many other Brazilian elbaites, Paraíba tourmaline forms in pegmatite. But researchers believe that its crystals form under very unusual conditions, with large amounts of trace elements like manganese and copper, which causes its color. Paraíba tourmaline is unusual because, although copper colors some other gems—notably turquoise—it’s not a coloring agent in any other tourmaline.
A problem began in 2001 when electric-blue tourmaline was discovered in Nigeria. More was discovered in Mozambique in 2005. All of these tourmalines were marketed using the popular "paraiba" name. This confusion persists in the marketplace. It was slightly reduced when some sellers began using "African Paraiba" for gems mined in Nigeria and Mozambique.
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Overall, prices for the best Paraíba tourmalines easily surpass other tourmalines due to their more attractive hues, higher color saturation, and greater rarity.
Trivia: Paraiba Tourmaline is considered to be one of two different birthstones that can be accepted for the month of October and because of this, it is also one of the gemstones for Libras and Scorpios. It does tend to vary in color, like most Tourmaline, but its brilliance and somewhat neon glow comes from that fact that it contains the element Copper.