Tourmaline as a Recorder of Ore-Forming Processes

Tourmaline occurs in diverse types of hydrothermal mineral deposits and can be used to constrain the nature and evolution of ore-forming fluids. Because of its broad range in composition and retention of chemical and isotopic signatures, tourmaline may be the only robust recorder of original mineralizing processes in some deposits. Microtextures and in situ analysis of compositional and isotopic variations in ore-related tourmaline provide valuable insights into hydrothermal systems in seafloor, sedimentary, magmatic, and metamorphic environments. Deciphering the hydrothermal record in tourmaline also holds promise for aiding exploration programs in the search for new ore deposits.