Independent research documents material from newly reported source of paraíba tourmaline
Examples of the new paraíba tourmaline production from Ethiopia, including a 7.64 ct faceted stone and an 8.70 ct rough stone. Courtesy of the Ferreira Group. Photo by Annie Haynes/GIA.
CARLSBAD, Calif. and LUCERNE, Switzerland – Researchers at GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the Gübelin Gem Lab independently examined copper-bearing tourmaline from a newly reported source in Ethiopia.
Following separate investigations, both laboratories established sufficiently documented reference material and comprehensive analytical datasets to confirm that Ethiopia is a new source of copper-bearing tourmaline that meets the widely accepted definition of paraíba tourmaline.
Reports of copper-bearing tourmaline from Ethiopia began circulating in the gemstone trade earlier in 2026, followed by industry reports and social media posts with preliminary observations of material attributed to the new deposit. Recognizing the significance of a potential new source of paraíba tourmaline, both GIA and the Gübelin Gem Lab independently undertook detailed investigations. Both laboratories chose to wait until the provenance of their reference samples could be established with confidence and sufficiently comprehensive analytical datasets had been collected before announcing their conclusions.
The investigations were conducted independently, using separately acquired reference samples that were analyzed using each laboratory’s respective research protocols. The findings of GIA and Gübelin Gem Lab are consistent in confirming the emergence of an important new source of copper-bearing tourmaline from Ethiopia.
Rough stones from the new Ethiopian tourmaline deposit displaying the range of color for the stones being produced. Stones weigh from 4.20 cts to 10.95 cts. Courtesy of the Ferreira Group. Photo by Annie Haynes/GIA.
The Gübelin Gem Lab first encountered the new material in early May 2026, when several paraíba tourmalines displayed an unusual chemical composition that did not match existing reference data from Brazil, Mozambique or Nigeria. These observations preceded widespread reports of the new Ethiopian source and prompted further investigation.
Over the following weeks, the Gübelin Gem Lab assembled approximately 300 rough and faceted stones from several independent sources. These included material obtained through a private dealer and samples acquired during a visit to Ethiopia by a senior Gübelin Gem Lab gemmologist working with local dealers with direct access to material from the mining area. This provided a substantial collection of provenance-supported reference material for detailed gemological, spectroscopic and chemical analysis.
“What is most striking about the Ethiopian material is that despite considerable, complex chemical variation between individual samples, they share a remarkably distinct and coherent compositional signature,” said Dr. Peter Tollan, Head of R&D at the Gübelin Gem Lab. “This means that the Ethiopian samples are readily distinguishable from all other origins of paraiba tourmaline, without the need for research-grade analytical methods such as LA-ICP-MS.”
GIA gemologists began examining parcels of material represented as originating from Ethiopia in early June. In July, a parcel of more than 100 rough and faceted samples was provided to GIA’s research department in Carlsbad, California, courtesy of the Ferreira Group, enabling a detailed scientific investigation of the material and its characteristics.
“We can confidently identify Ethiopia as an origin on GIA Tourmaline Identification and Origin Reports,” said Dr. Aaron Palke, GIA senior manager of research and a noted colored stone expert. “We extensively documented the material’s characteristics, adding this important information to GIA’s expansive database of colored stone origin information.”
Material examined during the two investigations confirms that the Ethiopian deposit is producing tourmaline colored predominantly by copper and therefore falling within the internationally accepted definition of paraíba tourmaline. The material encompasses blue to bluish green colors as well as violet, purple and colorless in some rough specimens. Many stones display pronounced color zoning and related compositional variation.
Analyses by both laboratories also reveal elevated (>60 ppm) concentrations of vanadium, combined with elevated lead (170-6000 ppm) and gallium (280-900 ppm). These are sufficiently strong identifying chemical properties, and all are easily measured with a good quality ED-XRF system.
The appearance of a significant new source is an important development for the colored gemstone industry. As material from Ethiopia enters the international market, robust reference datasets will be essential both for its identification and for reliable determination of geographic origin. Because production from the deposit is still new, both laboratories will continue to expand their reference collections and evaluate the range of characteristics displayed by Ethiopian material as additional samples become available.
GIA and Gübelin Gem Lab will publish separate articles in an upcoming issue of GIA’s quarterly journal, Gems & Gemology, presenting the full results of their respective independent investigations, including detailed gemological, spectroscopic and chemical data and discussion of geographic origin determination.
The two laboratories welcome the opportunity to communicate their conclusions together. Independent research, robust provenance and the open exchange of scientific observations between gemological institutions are important for maintaining confidence in geographic origin determination, particularly when significant new gemstone deposits enter the market.
The definition of paraíba tourmaline applied in these investigations follows the terminology established by the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee (LMHC).
Vanadium (V) concentrations in all paraíba tourmaline submitted to the Gübelin Gem Lab since 2017, plotted by date of submission. The distinctly elevated V concentrations observed only in material from Ethiopia illustrate the utility of V as a discriminator between Ethiopian paraíba tourmaline and material from other known geographic origins. Image from Gübelin Gem Lab.
