Tourmaline (var. Rossmanite), Lepidolite

A large, well-crystallized example of the rare tourmaline species rossmanite from the famous Tanco pegmatite. The specimen features dark pink rossmanite crystals embedded in a matrix of quartz, microcline, albite (var. cleavelandite), and violet lepidolite. This piece was probably collected at some point in the late 1990s.

Rossmanite is a lithium-rich, iron-poor member of the tourmaline group, belonging to the elbaite subgroup, and is known for its vibrant pink colouration and slight translucency. The Tanco Mine is one of the world’s very few confirmed localities for this species. The original vein was first mined during the 1970s–1980s and has long been depleted, making specimens of this size and quality exceptionally scarce and highly prized by collectors and mineralogists.