Tourmaline

Tourmaline from the Himalaya Mine is material from San Diego County. The mine was discovered in 1898 and became one of the biggest producers of gem and specimen-grade tourmaline in North America. It was especially famous for pink tourmaline, which became popular in China during the early 1900s. (sandiegohistory.org )

There’s a pretty wild piece of history behind that demand. Between 1902 and 1910, around 120 tons of gem-quality pink tourmaline from San Diego County were shipped to China, much of it from the Himalaya and other Mesa Grande mines. The stone was especially popular with Empress Dowager Cixi, helping turn this small mining area in California into an important source of tourmaline for the Chinese market.