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Black Tourmaline
Schorl — universally known as Black Tourmaline — is the sodium-iron endmember of the tourmaline group, a complex borosilicate with the formula NaFe3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)4. It is by far the most abundant tourmaline species, accounting for the vast majority of material in this mineral family, and is prized for its opaque jet-black luster, sharp trigonal prisms, and striated crystal faces that often terminate in glassy, well-formed points.
Classic material comes from the granite pegmatites of Minas Gerais, Brazil, including Governador Valadares and São José da Safira, while exceptional lustrous, multi-terminated clusters are sourced from the Erongo region of Namibia. Fine crystals also reach collectors from Skardu and Gilgit in Pakistan, the Sahatany Valley in Madagascar, Dolní Bory in the Czech Republic, and Elba Island, Italy — historic ground shared with its gem cousin elbaite. In the United States, notable schorl comes from Maine's Oxford County pegmatites and San Diego County, California.
Collectors seek schorl for its striking contrast against host minerals like smoky quartz, feldspar, and albite, its needle-like inclusions forming ornamental tourmalinated quartz, and its role as a benchmark species within the wider tourmaline group alongside dravite and elbaite. Sharp terminations, radiating sprays, and large aesthetic clusters command the highest interest among specimen collectors and mineralogists alike.
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