Tourmaline is a pegmatite mineral and so is mined from the world’s great pegmatite districts. Foremost is Brazil, but fine tourmalines are also found in San Diego County, including the famous Pala pegmatite district, and Maine. The East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar have also produced fine tourmaline in the past. Beautiful yellow “canary” tourmalines come from Malawi, while extremely fine rubellites and blue-green tourmalines are found in Nigeria. Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Burma also produce gem tourmalines on occasion.