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Cuprian Tourmaline From Mozambique


Cuprian Tourmaline from Mozambique;
Super-star-stone or just Over-ripe-hype?


Richard W. Wise, G.G.
©2006

A recent find of cuprian (copper colored) tourmaline from Mozambique is making a lot of waves among gemstone dealers and collectors.

Reportedly these gems come from an alluvial deposit near Mozambique’s Alto Ligonha. Region. One source tells me that the water born material is essentially mined out a statement that should always be viewed skeptically. The source of these river pebbles is yet to be found. This same source suggests that the entire production may be less than 50 kilograms of rough stones

Is Mozambique the new Paraiba?CT1
Much of the material cuts eye clean gems. Unlike the original material from the now famous São José da Batalha mine in the Brazilian state of Paraiba and two similar Brazilian locations which yielded mostly visually included smaller gems, the Mozambique cuprian is larger and a number of eye-clean 20-60 carat stones have been cut.

The color is said to be a more uniformly “aquamarine blue” than gems from the Brazilian find which featured a color range of green, blue-ish-green to blue. The blue color, usually described as Caribbean or Windex blue is dominant and the hue is described as “watery” meaning that the gems lack the supercharged saturation of the finest Paraiba stones. This is particularly true in cut gems in smaller sizes (under 5 carats). Larger size gems seem to hold the color better and appear to have saturation closer to their Brazilian counterparts. I have not seen enough of the stones to make a definitive statement but what I have seen is quite beautiful though paler in saturation than the best of Brazil. One dealer suggested to me that the blue-green material was far more beautiful.

 Looking pretty super, this 13.42 carat oval is a highly saturated light-medium tone green-blue hue from Mozambique

Looking pretty super, this 13.42 carat oval is a highly saturated light-medium tone green-blue hue from Mozambique

Prices:
Partisans of the new material from Mozambique are touting it as “Paraiba tourmaline” and asking very aggressive prices. Several sources stated that dealers who are members of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and have purchased significant amounts of rough material pressured the Gem Lab Standards Committee (GILC) for changes in terminology that would annoint these stones “Paraiba” on certificates issued by the AGTA Gem Lab. (see Pricing the crème, Part III). To be fair, CIBJO, the international committee that establishes terminology standards (bet you didn’t know there was such a thing) in its 2005 Blue Book has recognized “Paraiba Tourmaline” as an acceptable trade name for cuprian tourmaline regardless of the source.

To Buy or not to buy, that is the dilemma:
The beginning is usually the best time to buy. Why?, because even a small strike can produce an initial flood of gemstones that overwhelms the market causing prices to fall. In a market of limited size such as the colored gem market, the discovery of a new gem variety or a known gem from a new source sparks interest and as interest grows demand increases. At the same time supply declines resulting in increasingly higher prices. We have seen this cycle repeat itself time and time again: Paraiba tourmaline, Spessartite Garnet, Demantoid Garnet are just a few examples of new gem strikes that are going through this sort of market cycle.

However, in the case, Mozambique cuprian tourmaline is being hyped as the “new Paraiba” and asking prices have started out very high despite the fact that the much of the new material does not measure up to the hype. As one source put it, on a scale of 1-10 where the best of the Paraiba Tourmaline would be a 8-10, the Mozambique tourmalines are between 3-6.

With the rise of the shopping channels, gem marketing has entered a new era. During the past decade we have seen a consolidation in an industry previously dominated by wildcatters, small dealers with a limited stake and an even more limited budget. The shopping channels have become economic jugernauts. Selling directly to consumers, with millions in sales and huge numbers of viewers they have begun to control the market. Jewelry Television (ACN) which advertises itself as the world’s largest retailer of loose gemstones, grossed over 300 million dollars last year. Witness the recent hype over Andesine (red sunstone) which the shopping channels are also calling “the new Paraiba”. In addition, we see a few big time dealers who watched the Paraiba phenomenon are holding large inventories of Mozambique rough and are determined to pump up the market and cash in big. Today, both these factors are at work and this has resulted in a distorted and overheated market.

My Advice:
If you are going to buy, buy high quality and buy big sizes. Larger stones are reported to “approach” the quality of the original find and if it looks like a duck… Stones from the original Paraiba mines are extremely rare over 5 carats and barely exist over 10. Otherwise, wait for the hype to die down! Market realities will eventually assert themselves and force prices into line with the relative quality of the gem on offer.

P.S. Cuprian vs. cuprite, whats in a name: My readers may have noticed a change in terminology from cuprite to cuprian this is the result of a gentle reminder from one of my faithful readers John S. White former Curator of the Smithsonian Mineral Collection: “Please, enough with this “cuprite tourmaline.” Why do you continue to perpetuate what is unarguably the worst name that anyone has applied to Paraiba-like tourmaline? Cuprite is a distinct mineral species, it does not occur within or around gem tourmaline anywhere in the world. Furthermore, making the appellation even more ludicrous, cuprite is red, it is not blue nor green. You would be doing the gem world a favor if you would disavow your usage of this term while perhaps citing several of the others that have a far greater chance of being adopted.” Thanks John!

17 Responses

  1. Ricky says:

    Good day Richard

    my grand father and I have found some tourmaline last week that matches the description of Pariaba tourmaline. We live in Namibia, I would very much be interest in sending you pictures of our find. and possible advise.

    • Dick Sage says:

      Ricky,

      Lots of tourmaline found in Namibia, none copper bearing thus far. You can connect with me on Facebook and end me your images on Messenger.

      RWW

    • Tyler Doane says:

      Last year, I acquired a collection of rough Brazilian cuprian tourmalines, I’ve been after cuprian tourmaline for some time, so this is a huge gain for me, and I’d like to know more about these if possible, if I can send you photos of them via email or some other means, thank you in advance

  2. Pamela says:

    Can you tell me anything about Paraiba from Portugal? I’ve never heard of any from there.
    Thanks in advance for your response.
    Pamela

    • DickSage says:

      Paraiba is a varietal name. Refers to blue/bluegreen copper bearing tourmaline The original gems came from a mine in the state of Paraiba, Brazil. The chapter in my book covers all issues. Never found in Portugal. RWW

  3. JUDITH HARMER says:

    Do you have an update on the state of the Paraiba market please Richard ?

  4. CHRISTINA CRUZ says:

    Hi Mr. Wise,
    I have a fairly simple question for you…
    In terms of African origin Cuprian Tourmaline…
    Does Mozambique Cuprian Tourmaline contain Copper that is detectable by a UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer 300-1000nm range
    Also, same question for Namibian Cuprian Tourmaline if such exists?
    A little about me…
    I am a GIA GG graduated in 1990 Santa Monica and currently work as an appraiser in Glendale Ca.
    The reason i ask is because i have an assortment of Tourmaline’s which i have submitted to doctor Rossmanite for the Caltech catalogue and so far many do not have Copper that are from Africa. But, I am not sure which part of Africa each one is from.
    I have a few from Brazil too but i have no problem detecting the Copper on those.
    If you can assist me i would greatly appreciate it.

    Sincerely

    C. Cruz G.G
    cc4usc2001@gmail.com

  5. Paige says:

    I recently purchased a 4.17ct stone titled Cuprian Tourmaline, square cut. The stone is not blueish or greenish, it’s orange/pink sort of. It remains me of garnet but lighter in color. The stone has beautiful saturation of color and I love it but feel confused because after reading, I’m under the impression the stone should be a blue/green color to be called Cuprian . Can a stone this color be called Cuprian?

  6. blair says:

    Thanks for the insight.

  7. Sammy Jones says:

    Cuprian tourmaline sometime are in multiple colors, is it because they are unheated? Confusing why they do not have same color as the paraiba from Brazil.

    • DickSage says:

      The distinction between tourmaline in general an Cuprian tourmaline is on the presence of copper as the source of color. Tourmaline is among the chemically, most complex gemstones. The total chemical makeup determines the color.

      RWW

  8. M. A. Ulusso says:

    Hi,
    I am from East-Africa and I have some gem quality turquoise color tourmaline .
    I think/hope they are green paraiba tourmaline and I would like to send you some pictures .
    Generally, Mozambique and my country have same type gemstones.

    Thanks.

  9. caesar says:

    Does Nigeria and Mozambique have a native mine or gemstone cave?

    • DickSage says:

      Both Nigeria and Mozambique have gemstone producing areas.

      • caesar says:

        I want to know if there is any original mine, not a secondary mine.

        • DickSage says:

          Ceasar,

          I never had a chance to visit the spessartine mines in Nigeria. I do not know if there was one mine or (which is most likely) an alluvial plain with a number of mines spread out along the plain. I do know that the quality of the rough began to decline after the first years production. You might try a Google search to see if there is any information online.

          RWW

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