{"title":"Schorl","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchorl\u003c\/strong\u003e is the sodium-iron end-member of the \u003cstrong\u003etourmaline group\u003c\/strong\u003e, and by far the most abundant tourmaline species on Earth — so common that its name was historically used as a synonym for black tourmaline itself. Chemically it is a complex borosilicate, NaFe₃Al₆(Si₆O₁₈)(BO₃)₃(OH)₄, crystallizing in the trigonal system with the characteristic elongated, striated prisms and rounded triangular cross-section shared by the whole tourmaline family. Crystals are typically opaque jet-black to brownish-black, though thin edges can show a deep inky blue in transmitted light, and lustrous, well-terminated specimens are highly prized by mineral collectors for their glossy vitreous surfaces and sharp trigonal terminations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClassic, historic occurrences include the granite pegmatites of \u003cstrong\u003ePikes Peak\u003c\/strong\u003e in Colorado, the alpine cleft deposits of \u003cstrong\u003eMont Blanc\u003c\/strong\u003e and the Swiss Alps, the tin-bearing greisens of \u003cstrong\u003eCornwall\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the pegmatites of \u003cstrong\u003eSan Diego County\u003c\/strong\u003e, California, alongside historic European finds from \u003cstrong\u003eElba\u003c\/strong\u003e and the \u003cstrong\u003eErzgebirge\u003c\/strong\u003e. Today, the most important source for fine display-grade specimens is the \u003cstrong\u003eErongo Mountains\u003c\/strong\u003e in Namibia, where lustrous schorl crystals with elegant acicular or so-called \"Mercedes-star\" terminations occur on white feldspar matrix, often in striking association with smoky quartz, hyalite opal, fluorite and orthoclase. Other significant modern localities include the pegmatites of \u003cstrong\u003eMadagascar\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMinas Gerais\u003c\/strong\u003e in Brazil, and \u003cstrong\u003eSkardu\u003c\/strong\u003e and the Nagar Valley in Pakistan, which produce well-formed crystals sometimes reaching considerable size and weight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSchorl frequently grows as fine, dense needle-like inclusions penetrating quartz crystals, producing the popular ornamental variety known as tourmalinated quartz, a material valued both by mineral collectors and lapidaries. Because it is by far the most widespread tourmaline species, forming in granite pegmatites, greisens, hydrothermal veins and metamorphic schists worldwide, schorl serves as an accessible entry point into tourmaline-group mineralogy, while exceptional lustrous crystal clusters — sharply terminated, undamaged, and well-contrasted against light-colored matrix — remain genuinely sought after by serious systematic and aesthetic collectors alike.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"ec-tormalina-schorlite-biterminata-0","title":"SCHORL – Black Doubly Terminated Crystal, Minas Gerais, Brazil","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking doubly terminated crystal of Schorl, the iron-rich black variety of Tourmaline, showing well-developed prismatic faces and an intense, glossy black luster. This piece comes from the historic pegmatite district of Araçuaí, in the gem-rich state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, long famous among collectors for fine tourmaline crystals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 43 x 25 x 24 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45733284053101,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/AGC_20250527_230918054.jpg?v=1788003656"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/schorl.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}