Paraiba tourmalines have been discovered in Ethiopia 

Copper-bearing tourmalines, widely known in the trade as Paraíba tourmalines, have captivated gem dealers, collectors, and enthusiasts worldwide since their first appearance on the market in the late 1980s. The Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF has received credible reports from trade sources indicating a new deposit of copper-bearing tourmaline has been discovered in Ethiopia. It was originally discovered in the Brazilian state of Paraíba, and attracted worldwide attention for its exceptionally vivid blue to bluish-green colours, often described in the trade as “neon” or “electric.”

The news that a new deposit of copper-bearing tourmaline has been discovered in Ethiopia coincides with the submission of several Paraíba tourmalines to SSEF for examination using existing analytical criteria and algorithms. It is hypothesised that these may be of Ethiopian origin.

Analyses of the copper-bearing tourmalines in question exhibited considerable overlap with stones from previously known localities, particularly those from Brazil. To address this, ongoing research is focusing on thoroughly characterising this new material and refining the methods used to distinguish it from copper-bearing tourmalines from other origins.

The Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF, which is part of the Swiss Foundation for the Research of Gemstones, was founded by trade organisations in 1972 and works independently on a scientific basis.