Tourmaline was adopted as Maine’s official mineral in 1971. Maine tourmaline occurs in various colors. There is even a “watermelon” variety with a green outer layer surrounding a pink core. Some specimens rival the best tourmaline from California, Brazil, and the Himalayas.
The name “tourmaline” actually describes a variety of minerals with similar crystal structures. A black, iron-bearing tourmaline called schorl is Maine’s most common tourmaline. Elbaite is a very colorful but less common variety.
Several spectacular tourmaline pockets were discovered in the Dunton Mine in Newry, Maine, in 1972. Many fabulous red and green crystals were found, including the ten-inch “Jolly Green Giant,” which is now in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Tourmaline gems from Newry were used to make a State of Maine tourmaline necklace. The necklace’s chain was made from gold nuggets panned from the Swift River in
Byron. The Maine Retail Jewelers Association presented it to the State of Maine in 1975. |
