The Swiss Gemmological Institute, SSEF, says it has received credible trade reports of a new deposit of copper-bearing tourmaline in Ethiopia, a material widely known in the trade as Paraíba tourmaline.

Copper-bearing tourmalines first gained global attention in the late 1980s after discovery in Brazil’s Paraíba state, where vivid blue to bluish-green stones—often described as “neon” or “electric”—entered the market. The colouration is caused by copper within the crystal structure.

Since then, additional sources have been identified, including Nigeria and Mozambique, with Mozambique becoming a significant supplier of larger gem-quality material in the years that followed, including those of exceptional size, weighing hundreds of carats.

SSEF said recent submissions of copper-bearing tourmalines for analysis included samples with geographic origin results that were difficult to determine or inconclusive. The institute noted that some of these stones may originate from Ethiopia.

Preliminary trace-element testing showed overlap with material from other known sources, including Brazil, complicating origin identification. SSEF said ongoing research is focused on characterizing the suspected Ethiopian material and improving analytical methods used to distinguish between deposits.

The institute added that refining origin determination remains important as new sources emerge and existing geological signatures overlap across regions.