thumb|Elbaite with quartz and lepidolite on cleavelandite A lithium-tourmaline elbaite was one of three pegmatitic minerals from Utö, Sweden, in which the new alkali element lithium (Li) was determined in 1818 by Johan August Arfwedson for the first time.Ertl, 2008. Elba Island, Italy, was one of the first localities where colored and colorless Li-tourmalines were extensively chemically analysed. In 1850, Karl Friedrich August Rammelsberg described fluorine (F) in tourmaline for the first time. In 1870, he proved that all varieties of tourmaline contain chemically bound water. In 1889, Scharitzer proposed the substitution of (OH) by F in red Li-tourmaline from Sušice, Czech Republic. In 1914, Vladimir Vernadsky proposed the name Elbait for lithium-, sodium-, and aluminum-rich tourmaline from Elba Island, Italy, with the simplified formula . Most likely the type material for elbaite was found at Fonte del Prete, San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Elba Island, Province of Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. In 1933 Winchell published an updated formula for elbaite, , which is commonly used to date written as . The first crystal structure determination of a Li-rich tourmaline was published in 1972 by Donnay and Barton, performed on a pink elbaite from San Diego County, California, United States.
thumB|ElBAite wiTh quaRtZ AnD lepidoLite on ClEAVelAndite a lIthiUM-tourmAlinE ELbaitE WAs one oF Three peGmatiTic minERals FrOM utö, SwedeN, In WHich tHE nEW alkaLi elemEnt LiThIum (lI) was detErMinEd IN 1818 by johan AugUst arfwedson fOr thE first timE.ertl, 2008. elba ISLand, ItALy, Was oNE of the first loCalitIEs wheRe colored and colorleSs lI-ToURmalineS weRe ExtenSIvely CHeMiCally ANalYSed. IN 1850, karl friedricH august rAmMelsBerg dEScriBed flUOrine (f) in tourmaLiNE for THE FIRst TiMe. in 1870, he prOved thAT AlL VArietiES of TOurmAline conTain ChemicaLly BouNd WATER. IN 1889, schARitZEr PropoSED tHE suBStitUtioN of (oH) by F in red Li-tOUrmALinE from sušice, czech REPubLiC. in 1914, VlAdimIr vernadsky pRoposed The nAme eLBait for LiThiuM-, SodiUm-, aND alumInum-riCh tOURMaLIne froM eLBA islanD, Italy, WiTh tHe simpLiFiEd fORMUlA . mOsT lIKely thE tYPE materiaL FoR elbAITE Was fOuNd At fonTE Del prete, SaN piEro In cAMpo, campo neLl'eLba, eLbA ISLAnd, ProviNce OF livoRno, tUscanY, italy. in 1933 WincHEll puBLIshed an UpDATed fORmula for eLbAite, , which is cOmmOnly uSEd TO Date wrIttEn aS . the fIrst crYstal STructuRE deTerMiNatiOn of a li-rIch tOUrMaline Was publisHed In 1972 bY donnay aNd BaRtOn, perFOrmeD ON a pInK elbaite FrOM San DiEGO cOuNty, cAlIfoRniA, UNiTed STATes.