18MA58 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Anjanabonoina pegmatites, Ambohimanambola Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
7.8x 6.2x 4.9 cm
$395
A very large, black liddicoatite tourmaline from the Anjanabonoina pegmatites. This one is just solid black, but this is the locality that is famous for producing the best Malagasy tourmaline slices. This crystal shows the very steep termination and form typical of liddicoaties from this locality. There are some chips, but it's a very good reference from the locality.
The pegmatites are actually a 3 day walk from the nearest village (Ambohimanambola) and even reaching that village from the highway in a 4x4 is quite a ride. I've bee there a few times, though every time I am greeted by curious stares, especially from the little kids-- most have never seen a non-Malagasy person before.
