Swiss Gem Lab Flags Possible New Paraíba Tourmaline Source in Ethiopia

The Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF) said in June 2026 that it has received credible reports from trade and mining sources of a new deposit of copper-bearing — or "Paraíba-type" — tourmaline in Ethiopia. If verified, it would be only the fourth known source of the rare neon-blue-to-green gem material, alongside Brazil, Nigeria, and Mozambique.

SSEF has stopped well short of confirming a mine site. The report coincides with several Paraíba tourmalines submitted to the lab for standard origin testing that didn't cleanly match known localities — leading researchers to hypothesize an Ethiopian source for some of those stones. Preliminary trace-element analysis showed "considerable overlap" with material from existing sources, particularly Brazil, meaning definitive origin calls aren't yet possible for all the stones in question.

SSEF says further research is underway to characterize the material and refine the testing methods used to distinguish it from copper-bearing tourmaline of other origins. Trade publications including National Jeweler, JCK, and Rapaport have all covered the report, noting the story remains unconfirmed pending lab-verified field data.

See our current tourmaline selection.

Sources: SSEF, June 2026; National Jeweler (Michelle Graff), June 23, 2026; Rapaport (Suzanne Watkin), June 21, 2026.

Written by Nic Scogna, a photographer and mineral collector based in Lexington, Kentucky, and the founder of Crystal Earth Gallery and Kyanite King Minerals. For over 25 years, he has traveled to mineral localities across the U.S. — from Maine to California — personally sourcing the specimens, gemstones, and photographic subjects featured here. When not out in the field, Nic writes about mineralogy, collecting, and the craft of turning raw stone into wearable art.