Home > Borate Minerals – April 22 > MS1806 vanadium-bearing Dravite

vanadium-bearing Dravite - Sold


Dravite is one of the longest known members of the tourmaline group (Henry et al., 2011). Nominally dravite is the sodium magnesium aluminum endmember of a solid solution series with iron-dominant schorl. The name dravite recalls its original occurrence in the Draugebiet (Drave in Latin) of Austria (Tschermak, 1884). Were dravite to have its ideal composition, the mineral would be colorless. Minor chemical substitution imparts various colors to the species, typically brown. This example contains minor vanadium and a lesser amount of chromium, both of which cause green coloration.

This specimen is a deep green dravite cluster, consisting of one main crystal and one sidecar crystal. The main crystal has an incomplete second termination; it is approximately 90% complete. Sharp and lustrous; choice. 36.84 cts.