Elbaite
Elbaite is a silicate mineral prized by collectors for its exceptional color range, with known Chinese sources.
About Elbaite
Elbaite is a silicate mineral in the tourmaline group and has the chemical formula Na(Li₁.₅Al₁.₅)Al₆(Si₆O₁₈)(BO₃)₃(OH)₄. It crystallizes in the trigonal system and is one of the most visually varied minerals in the collector market. Its combination of structural character and global distribution make it a recognized species in both systematic and aesthetic collections.
Identification & care
Specimens usually show prismatic hexagonal, striated longitudinally; terminated with small rhombohedral or pyramidal faces. Its color range is broad, including all colors: blue (indicolite), green (verdelite), red/pink (rubellite), bicolor, watermelon (pink core + green rim), and colorless (achroite). The luster is vitreous, the streak is white, and specimens range from transparent to translucent. The fracture is conchoidal, which is one of its key identifying features.
Collector context
How it forms
In terms of geology, Elbaite forms in li-al-rich granitic pegmatites; hydrothermal veins in granitic rocks. It is commonly found in association with lepidolite, spodumene, cleavelandite, beryl, topaz.
Classic Chinese localities
Elbaite is widely represented across Chinese provinces, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Henan, Jiangxi.
Why collectors care
Collectors pursue Elbaite for the clarity of its crystal form and, in good material, saturated color that reads instantly across a display case. A well-terminated elbaite on clean matrix photographs well, identifies quickly, and anchors a cabinet piece. Top Chinese specimens over the last two decades have reset the bar for what elbaite looks like at collector grade.
What affects value
Value in Elbaite is assessed, in typical order of weight, against: (1) locality provenance; (2) size relative to the species norm; (3) crystal form and termination sharpness; (4) color saturation and zoning; (5) transparency and internal clarity; (6) matrix quality and aesthetic balance; (7) condition (absence of damage, chips, or repair). Cleaning quality and verified locality documentation act as multipliers across the above.
Naming history
The name Elbaite has a specific etymological and historical context — see Mindat's reference entry for provenance details. We have retained naming data at the record level; published prose is paraphrased from factual fields rather than copied from source.