About Chrome Tourmaline – History and Introduction
Chrome tourmaline is a rare, gemstone quality variety of chromium-bearing green dravite. Dravite is one of several specific varieties of the tourmaline group. Although dravite tourmaline is quite common in occurrence, most deposits are too opaque or too heavily included to be of any gemstone value. Chrome tourmaline, or chrome dravite, owes its color to traces of chromium, the same element responsible for red ruby and green emerald. It may also contain vanadium, another coloring agent commonly found in both emerald and tsavorite garnet. Chrome tourmaline is highly-prized for its distinct, rich forest-green color and is considered a collector’s gem, but not because it lacks the hardness and durability for jewelry, but because of its extreme rarity in occurrence.