TOURMALINE
Once proposed to be the national gemstone of the United States, tourmaline is found all over the world and in a variety of colors. Tourmaline is the most colorful of all gemstones because, according to an ancient Egyptian legend, it passed through a rainbow on its journey to Earth and brought all of the colors of the rainbow with it. Tourmaline is a mineral group comprised of multiple species of complex borosilicates. Lovingly referred to by mineralogists as the garbage can mineral, its crystal structure allows for the incorporation of a wide range of elements, many of which cause the stunning color varieties and spectacular zoning of tourmaline, including copper, manganese, iron, and titanium.
