mineral

Green Tourmaline

Elbaite (Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH))

Hardness: 7-7.5 on Mohs scale. Color: various shades of green, ranging from pale to dark forest green. Luster: vitreous (glassy). Crystal structure: trigonal, typically forming prismatic crystals with striated faces. Cleavage: indistinct. Specific gravity: 3.0-3.2.

Hardness: 7-7
Luster: vitreous (glassy)

Identified July 30, 2026More mineral →

Explore Green Tourmaline in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms primarily in pegmatites through the crystallization of magma rich in water and volatile elements like boron and lithium, as well as in hydrothermal veins and metamorphic rocks. Can date from millions to billions of years old depending on the host rock.

Uses & applications

Used widely in jewelry as a gemstone, in optical equipment due to its piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties, and highly sought after by mineral collectors.

Geological facts

Tourmaline has one of the widest color ranges of any mineral group. Green tourmaline, sometimes called verdelite, gets its vibrant green color primarily from trace amounts of iron and sometimes chromium or vanadium.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified by its characteristic rounded triangular cross-section in raw crystals, distinct striations along the length of the crystal, and lack of good cleavage. Common localities include Brazil, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Madagascar, and the USA (California and Maine).

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Soil with Mineral Detritus and Quartz Fragments

Regolith / Silicate Mineral Aggregate

sedimentary

Limonite / Goethite (Iron Ore Mineral nodule)

FeO(OH)·nH2O / FeO(OH)

mineral

Septarian Pebble

Septarian nodule / Concretion

sedimentary

Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)

Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)

mineral

Schist

Metamorphic