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Uvite

Uvite is the calcium-magnesium member of the tourmaline group, a complex borosilicate closely related to dravite and schorl but distinguished by its calcium-rich composition. It forms stubby, striated trigonal prisms with a vitreous luster, typically in shades of dark green, greenish-black, brownish-black, or reddish-brown, occasionally zoned parallel to the prism faces. With a hardness of 7 to 7.5 and no cleavage, uvite crystals are durable and often develop as attractive composite specimens rather than large gem-quality pieces.

The species takes its name from Uva Province in Sri Lanka, where Wilhelm Kunitz first described it in 1929, though the modern reference material comes from Brumado, Bahia, Brazil, now the classic locality for fine uvite crystals perched on white magnesite matrix. Other notable occurrences include the dolomitic marbles of Pierrepont, Gouverneur, and DeKalb in St. Lawrence County, New York, the Franklin deposits of New Jersey, and additional finds in Myanmar, Madagascar, Pakistan, Namibia, and Slovakia.

Because uvite forms almost exclusively in magnesium-rich metamorphic and skarn environments, it is regularly found alongside diopside, phlogopite, quartz, muscovite, and apatite-(CaF). Its comparative rarity, distinctive Ca-Mg chemistry within the tourmaline supergroup, and striking crystal habit on contrasting magnesite or marble matrix make uvite a prized addition for systematic tourmaline collectors and species specialists alike.

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