From the Utah border in the north to Mexico in the south, and from California in the west to New Mexico in the east, Arizona’s diverse landscape holds hidden treasures.

However, tourmaline hunters often struggle to find reliable spots, wasting time and energy. Searching for this colorful gem can be frustrating and costly.

But don’t worry! We’ve done the hard work for you. Today, we’ll reveal the best places to find tourmaline in Arizona. We’ve sourced top locations to save you time and ensure you’re looking in the right areas.

Get ready to discover prime tourmaline hunting grounds across the Grand Canyon State.

How Tourmaline Forms Here

Tourmaline forms deep underground through intense heat and pressure. It originates from hot, mineral-rich fluids that move through fractures in rocks like granite and pegmatite. As these fluids cool, the minerals within them start to crystallize, forming tourmaline.

The color of tourmaline depends on the specific minerals involved, leading to a wide range of hues including pink, red, green, and blue.

Over millions of years, these crystals grow and become the beautiful, multifaceted stones we see today. Tourmaline is prized for its variety of colors and is often used in jewelry and decorative items.

The Types Of Tourmaline

Several incredible types of Tourmaline can be found in the US as well as in our state. Each is uniquely beautiful and interesting including:

Elbaite

Elbaite is found in pink, red, green, blue, yellow, and even colorless forms. What makes elbaite special is its ability to show multiple colors in a single crystal, like the famous “watermelon” tourmaline with pink and green hues.

This gem stands out due to its complex chemical makeup, which includes lithium, sodium, and aluminum. This composition gives Elbaite its diverse color range and dichroism, allowing it to display different colors when viewed from different angles.

Elbaite has a unique place in history as the first tourmaline variety in which lithium was discovered back in 1818. Some rare types, like the neon blue Paraiba elbaite, are highly sought after by collectors and jewelers.

Schorl

Schorl is known for its deep, rich color. It typically forms long, prismatic crystals with a shiny, glass-like surface when polished. Unlike other tourmalines, schorl gets its distinctive black color from high iron concentrations.

One of Schorl’s most fascinating features is its ability to become electrically charged through heating or rubbing. When charged, it can attract or repel small particles.

This unique electrical property makes Schorl valuable in various industries. It’s used in electronics and manufacturing to control static electricity and electromagnetic interference.

Despite being less colorful than other tourmalines, schorl’s practical applications make it an important and interesting variety.

Rubellite

Rubellite stands out with its vibrant pink to red colors. The most prized ones show a pure, saturated red without any brown or orange hints. This beautiful color comes from manganese in its makeup.

One cool thing about rubellite is its double refraction. It can look like it has two different colors when you view it from different angles.

Dravite

Dravite, or Brown Tourmaline, comes in shades from dark brown to light brown-yellow. It can look a bit like Smoky Quartz, with a semi-see-through quality.

Its crystals are often needle-like or prismatic, with points at both ends. This sets it apart from other tourmalines like the darker schorl or the colorful elbaite.

What makes dravite special is its rich sodium and magnesium content. This sets it apart from other tourmalines. It was first discovered in 1883 and named after the Drava River in Slovenia.

Indicolite

Indicolite is a rare and captivating blue to blue-green stone. It’s prized for its pure, bright blue color, which is considered the rarest within the tourmaline family. The hues can range from light blue-green to deep, rich blue, often with high clarity.

What sets Indicolite apart is its unique optical effects. It shows pleochroism, appearing to change color when viewed from different angles. Some specimens also display chatoyancy, creating a “cat’s eye” effect when cut in a certain way.

Indicolite is sometimes called “Brazilian sapphire” due to its resemblance to the precious gem. However, they’re different minerals.

The increasing demand for blue tourmalines has made indicolite highly sought-after in the gemstone market, appreciated for its beauty and rarity.

Watermelon Tourmaline

Watermelon tourmaline is truly one-of-a-kind. It looks just like a slice of watermelon, with a pink or red center and a green outer layer. This unique look happens because different elements join the crystal at different times as it grows.

These crystals often form in a rounded triangle shape. They’re see-through to somewhat clear and have a glass-like shine. When cut into slices, they really do look like little watermelons!

Cat’s Eye Tourmaline

Cat’s eye tourmaline is known for its mesmerizing chatoyancy effect. This creates a bright band across the stone’s surface, resembling a cat’s eye.

This stone comes in various colors, from green to pink to brown, and is usually semi-translucent to opaque.

What makes this stone special is the perfect alignment of tiny, needle-like inclusions inside it. These scatter light in a unique way, creating that eye-catching effect. It’s quite different from other tourmalines that don’t have this feature.

Unlike other cat’s eye stones, Tourmaline offers a wider range of colors and is often more affordable.

Achroite

Achroite is a rare, colorless variety of tourmaline that looks like a drop of clear water turned to stone. It’s completely transparent, making it unique among tourmalines which usually have color. The name comes from Greek, meaning “without color.”

What’s special about achroite is that it doesn’t change color when viewed from different angles. It means the stone can be cut in many ways without losing its clarity.

Verdelite

Verdelite is known for its beautiful green color. It can range from light green to deep emerald.

One thing that makes verdelite special is that you can find big, clear crystals of it. This isn’t always easy with other gemstones.

People love using verdelite in jewelry because its rich color and interesting light effects make it a popular choice for all kinds of accessories. Each piece of verdelite is like a little piece of nature you can wear.

Paraíba Tourmaline

Paraíba Tourmaline is a rare gemstone that catches the eye with its vibrant neon blue or green color. It’s like no other tourmaline you’ve seen before. The intense glow comes from copper in the stone, making it stand out from its cousins.

This stone is one of the rarest. For every 10,000 diamonds mined, only one Paraíba tourmaline is found.

It was only discovered in the late 1980s, making it a newcomer in the gem world. But Paraíba tourmaline’s unique color and rarity quickly made it a favorite among gem lovers.

Its discovery caused quite a stir in the gem community. Even small stones can be valuable because of how rare and beautiful they are.

What Rough Tourmaline Looks Like

When you’re out looking for rough Tourmaline on your own it’s important to know what you’re looking for.  Here are some tips to help you recognize rough tourmaline.

Look for Color Variations

Tourmaline comes in many colors, like pink, green, blue, and even black. Some pieces have multiple colors, like watermelon tourmaline, which is pink and green.

If you see these color mixes, it’s likely tourmaline. Keep an eye out for vibrant shades.

Assess the Density and Weight

Rough tourmaline is relatively heavy for its size. If you pick up a piece and it feels denser than expected, it could be tourmaline. This weight can help you confirm your find.

Examine the Crystal Structure

Tourmaline features distinctive crystal shapes, ranging from slender and elongated to chunky forms. Look for triangular cross-sections and striations on the surface, which indicate its unique growth patterns.

Check for Transparency

Some rough tourmaline can be slightly transparent. If you hold it up to the light, you might see through it a bit. This transparency can be a good sign that you have tourmaline.

A Quick Request About Collecting

Tips on where to look

Once you get to the places we have listed below there are some things you should keep in mind when you’re searching:

Look for Sedimentary Rocks

Sedimentary rocks are great places to find tourmaline. These rocks form from layers of sand, mud, and minerals. Over time, minerals like tourmaline can get trapped.

Look in riverbeds or areas where sediment has built up. You might find small pieces or even larger crystals. 

Explore Mines

Mines are great spots to find tourmaline. Many mines across the U.S. extract various gemstones, including tourmaline.

Some mines even allow visitors to search for gems themselves. Always check if they have guided tours or special digging days.

Search in Gravel Pits

Gravel pits are often overlooked, but they can be treasure troves. These pits dig deep into the earth, exposing layers of rock.

Tourmaline can be found in the gravel. Just sift through the material carefully.

The types of Tourmaline can you find around the state

In Arizona, several notable types of tourmaline can be found, including Verdelite, Watermelon Tourmaline, and Rubellite.

Verdelite is characterized by its vibrant green color, while Watermelon Tourmaline exhibits a unique bi-color effect, showcasing pink and green hues that resemble the fruit it’s named after.

Rubellite, on the other hand, is known for its striking red to pink tones, making it a highly sought-after variety among collectors and gem enthusiasts.

Each type offers distinct visual appeal and contributes to Arizona’s reputation as a significant source of tourmaline gemstones.

Some Great Places To Start

Here are some of the best locations to begin your search for tourmaline in the state. These areas offer promising opportunities for finding this beautiful gemstone.

Spring Creek

Located in the heart of Gila County, Spring Creek flows through a scenic landscape rich in geological wonders. This stream, situated near Bear Flat and Kohls Ranch, sits at an elevation of about 4,636 feet, offering rockhounds a unique hunting ground for tourmaline.

The area’s diverse formations, including quartz veins and pegmatites, make it a prime spot for mineral enthusiasts.

These geological features are telltale signs of tourmaline presence, often found intertwined within the quartz or pegmatite matrices.

Rockhounds can explore the creek’s banks and surrounding areas, keeping an eye out for exposed veins or weathered pegmatite outcrops.

The stream’s natural erosion process often reveals hidden mineral treasures, making each visit a potential new discovery.

Fourr Ranch Area

The Fourr Ranch area is in the northwest corner of the Dragoon Mountains. About 50 miles east of Tucson, this mountainous terrain boasts a rich geological tapestry.

The area’s diverse rock formations, including granite, schist, and quartzite, create an ideal environment for tourmaline formation.

Rockhounds flock to the base of the mountains and erosion-exposed areas, where mineral-rich veins often reveal their treasures.

The presence of sycamore trees hints at a good water supply, a key factor in mineral formation. This hidden oasis in the rugged landscape has long been a hotspot for mineral enthusiasts.

The Fourr Ranch, at the entrance to Fourr Canyon, offers a unique blend of history and geology. Once a frontier outpost, it now serves as a gateway to mineral exploration.

The area’s complex geological history has left behind a variety of minerals, making each expedition a potential jackpot for tourmaline seekers.

Dome Rock Mountains

The Dome Rock Mountains stretch for 30 miles along the Colorado River, just west of Quartzsite. This rugged range in the heart of the Sonoran Desert is a treasure trove for rockhounds.

The mountains are home to the historic Middle Camp and Oro Fino Mining Districts, now part of the Colorado River Indian Reservation. These old mining sites and numerous dry washes are perfect for gemstone hunting.

Rockhounds often discover tourmaline in the eastern foothills near Quartzsite, where accessible trails lead to promising locations.

Beyond tourmaline, the Dome Rock Mountains offer a variety of minerals including quartz, wulfenite, amethyst, calcite, and bornite.

The unique desert landscape, with its stark beauty and hidden mineral wealth, attracts both casual collectors and serious gemstone enthusiasts year-round.

Tungstake Prospect

The Tungstake Prospect sits at an elevation of 3,041 feet, surrounded by the diverse geology of Mohave County. The district is famous for its gold-bearing veins in granite and schistose rocks, but it’s also a treasure trove for mineral enthusiasts.

What makes this spot special for tourmaline seekers is the presence of hornblendite as a host rock. This unusual geological feature creates the perfect conditions for tourmaline formation.

You’ll want to focus your search on the veins and pockets within the granite and schist. These areas are where tourmaline crystals are most likely to be found.

Castle Dome Mine

Castle Dome Mine, nestled in the Castle Dome Mountains of southwestern Arizona, is a rockhound’s paradise. This historic mining site, active since 1871, offers a unique glimpse into Arizona’s rich mineral heritage.

Rockhounds can explore old mine dumps and tailings, where these colorful gems often hide among other fascinating minerals like fluorite, wulfenite, and mimetite.

Beyond gemstones, Castle Dome Mine Museum showcases the area’s mining history, featuring restored buildings and artifacts.

This combination of natural beauty, mineral wealth, and historical significance makes Castle Dome Mine an exciting destination for both amateur and experienced gem enthusiasts looking to uncover Arizona’s geological wonders.

Places Tourmaline has been found by county

After discussing our top picks, we wanted to discuss the other places on our list. Below is a list of the additional locations where we have succeeded, along with a breakdown of each place by county.