Colors in Tourmaline

Some of nature's most vivid colors occur in minerals, and tourmalines are among the most colorful species in the mineral kingdom. This array of often vivid colors is a result of the tourmalines' capacity to incorporate a wide variety of metal ions, such as iron, manganese, titanium, chromium, and vanadium into their crystal structures. Some of these ions are powerful chromophores, and at least one is sensitive to natural and laboratory-induced radiation; thus tourmaline can exhibit a spectrum of vivid colors.