The Allure and Eco-Friendly Nature of Lab Created Tourmaline Crystals

The Allure of Lab Grown Tourmaline

Tourmaline has long been prized by collectors for its stunning array of colors and metaphysical properties. This remarkable mineral comes in every hue imaginable - intense reds, verdant greens, vibrant pinks, deep blues, and golden yellows. The diversity of tourmaline colors is matched by its reputed healing energies. For centuries, crystals experts have touted its ability to aid spiritual growth, protect against negative energy, and promote vitality.

So what accounts for tourmaline's broad appeal? Let's explore what makes this gemstone so special.

Tourmaline's Unique Structure

The tourmaline mineral group has an unique molecular structure that allows it to become easily polarized when heated or placed under pressure. This polarization is also sensitive to vibrations like light waves. Depending on the exact composition of a particular tourmaline specimen, it can absorb and reflect varying wavelengths of light. This optical phenomenon is why tourmaline displays such a rich palette of captivating colors.

Where Tourmaline Originates

Natural tourmaline specimens are produced when fluid-rich molten rock, known as magma, cools deep underground. This occurs in the internal magma chambers of active volcanoes as well as when tectonic plates collide. Tourmaline crystals form when magma rich in boron, aluminum, silicon and other elements interacts with hot water or vapor. This geological process takes place over thousands and thousands of years.

Significant tourmaline deposits have been found in mineral-rich regions of the world like Brazil, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Maine and California. Miners extract rough natural tourmaline crystals from mineral veins and alluvial deposits within granite pegmatites and metamorphic rocks.

Sustainability of Natural Tourmaline

As the demand for natural tourmaline has grown in recent decades, concerns about overharvesting of wild tourmaline deposits have increased as well. Environmental damage caused by unregulated mining operations also pose a threat to pristine wilderness habitats where tourmaline is typically found.

These sustainability issues have led to innovations like lab-grown or simulated tourmaline. Thanks to tremendous technological advances, mineral scientists can now produce tourmaline specimens in a controlled laboratory environment. The resulting lab grown tourmaline exhibits the same exceptional hardness, brilliance of color, and metaphysical properties as natural tourmaline - but in a more eco-friendly way.

How Lab Grown Tourmaline is Made

While the geological processes that produce natural tourmaline take countless ages, modern methods like hydrothermal synthesis make it possible to grow gorgeous lab tourmaline crystals in just days or weeks. The basic process entails gathering raw source material, growing seed tourmaline crystals, and allowing these seed crystals to develop in an accelerated growth process optimized in a laboratory reactor vessel.

Acquiring the Right Raw Materials

High purity metals, minerals, elements like lithium and boron compounds are sourced and rigorously tested. These are precisely measured and mixed together into a chemical solution under meticulously controlled conditions necessary for tourmaline to effectively nucleate and grow.

Creating the Initial Tourmaline Seed Crystals

Using the raw source solution, tiny tourmaline seed crystals are developed. Various properties of these seeds - their crystal orientation, dimensions, quality - can be customized in order to control the subsequent growth phase.

Cultivating Lab Tourmaline Crystals

The seeded chemical solution is then transferred into an autoclave vessel where hydrothermal treatment allows the microscopic seed crystals to increase in size by up to 1000% percent or more. Carefully regulating the temperatures, pressures and duration of growth results in lab created tourmaline rough with incredible clarity and vibrant hues.

By controlling purity and precision at each step, beautiful, ethical lab-grown tourmaline can be sustainably produced to meet collector demand.

Identifying Features of Lab Grown Tourmaline

To the naked eye, cultured lab tourmaline looks virtually indistinguishable from natural tourmaline. However, upon very close inspection by a trained gemologist, some subtle visual cues can differentiate man-made tourmaline from found tourmaline. These include:

Internal Structure

While natural tourmaline has tiny imperfections and inclusions acquired during its long subterranean formation, lab tourmaline typically does not exhibit these growth markings under magnification.

Color Uniformity

The controlled production environment enables lab tourmaline to achieve more consistent, uniform coloring throughout a single crystal compared to natural specimens with irregular color zoning.

Perfection of Facets and Angles

Cut lab-grown tourmaline also frequently showcase more precise faceting and angles with slightly better symmetry than cut natural crystals.

Using advanced testing like spectroscopy and chemical assays, gem labs can also confirm whether a tourmaline originated from nature or a laboratory.

The Future of Lab Grown Tourmaline

Eco-conscious collectors are increasingly seeking lab created crystals like tourmaline for their exceptional aesthetics aligned with ethical, sustainable production.

As hydrothermal manufacturing technology continues advancing, expect to see higher clarity cultured tourmaline in more color varieties become more widely available to consumers and the metaphysical community.

While no man-made process can fully replicate the mystique and wonder of tourmaline formed over eons by natural forces within the living earth, lab grown tourmaline offers a compelling, ecologically viable alternative for those seeking this most captivating and energetically empowering mineral treasure.

FAQs

How are lab grown tourmaline crystals made?

Lab tourmaline is made through a hydrothermal process involving seeding a chemical solution with tiny tourmaline crystals, then cultivating the seeded solution in an autoclave to yield full-sized tourmaline rough for cutting gemstones.

Why produce tourmaline in a lab?

To create a renewable, ecologically sustainable, and ethical source of exceptional tourmaline specimens to meet market demand while avoiding the negative impacts of unregulated mining and environmental damage it may cause.

How can you tell a lab tourmaline from a natural one?

While visually very similar, upon close inspection by a gemologist, lab tourmalines typically exhibit more perfect internal clarity, color uniformity, and precise faceting than natural crystals with slight imperfections.

Will lab-grown tourmaline replace natural tourmaline?

For collectors prioritizing responsible sourcing, lab tourmaline offers an alternative with identical beauty. But the allure, history and mystique of natural tourmaline formed over aeons means it will remain coveted by many crystal enthusiasts.