The Great Divide Tourmaline stands as one of the most celebrated mineral specimens ever recovered from Brazil’s Pederneira Mine. Found in the famous São José da Safira district of Minas Gerais, Brazil, this specimen is notable, above all, for its singular form.
At the heart of the piece, a slender spear of pink tourmaline cuts through the top of a substantial purple-pink and blue hexagonal tourmaline crystal. As a result, it appears as though two separate crystal growths fused together at a dramatic angle. Beneath this intersection, the crystals emerge from a bed of white albite alongside lilac-toned lepidolite.
Specimen Details
- Locality: Pederneira Mine, São José da Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Matrix: White albite with lilac lepidolite
- Dimensions: Approximately 6 x 6 x 7 inches
- Notable feature: A pink tourmaline blade intersecting a purple-pink and blue hexagonal crystal
- Status: Hall of Fame specimen — not available for purchase
Why It Belongs in Our Hall of Fame
This piece represents the pinnacle of what the Pederneira Mine has produced, and its place in our Hall of Fame. It honors both the specimen’s rarity and its connection to the Astro family’s history in the mineral world.
