SCHORL

The
Tourmaline Group
of Minerals

DRAVITE


ELBAITE

UVITE


ELBAITE


For natural tourmaline mineral specimens, select any of the mineral names above.

Most people consider tourmaline to be a single mineral. But in fact it is a group named for several different, but closely related minerals. Members of the Tourmaline Group are favorites among mineral collectors. Their rich and varied colors can captivate the eye. Even the black opaque tourmalines can shine nicely and produce sharp crystal forms. Tourmalines are cut as precious gems, carved into figurines, cut as cabochons, sliced into cross-sections and natural specimens are enthusiastically added to many a rock hound's collection.

There are many unique properties of tourmalines. First, they are piezoelectric which means that when a crystal is heated or compressed (or vibrated) a different electrical charge will form at opposite ends of the crystal (an electrical potential). Conversely if an electrical potential is applied to the crystal, it will vibrate. Secondly they are pleochroic which means that the crystal will look darker in color when viewed down the long axis of the crystal than when viewed from the side. This property goes beyond the idea that the crystal is just thicker in that direction. Even equally dimensioned crystals will demonstrate this trait. This property can be used as an advantage by gem cutters who may wish to enhance a crystal's pale color or weaken a strongly colored crystal.

The four most common and well known tourmalines are distinguished by their color and transparencies. Elbaite is the gemstone tourmaline and comes in many varied and beautiful colors. It is transparent to translucent and is highly prized as minerals specimens and as gemstones. Elbaite is easily the most colorful of all the gemstones.

The iron rich schorl is the most abundant tourmaline and is black and opaque. It is a common accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks and can form nice crystals. Although too opaque to be used as a gemstone, schorl is used as an ornamental stone when found as inclusions in quartz, a stone is called "tourmalinated quartz". Usually when someone refers to tourmaline they are referring to either elbaite or schorl.

The two other more common tourmalines; dravite and uvite are much less common than elbaite or schorl, but they are getting noticed for their beautiful specimens. Some of dravite's crystals are nicely formed, translucent brown and they can reach a rather large size. Uvite is a green translucent to opaque tourmaline that is growing in popularity and is being cut as a gemstone.

The Tourmaline Group has a general formula of AX3Y6(BO3)3 Si6O18(O, OH, F)4. The A can be either calcium or sodium. The X can be either aluminum, iron, lithium or magnesium. The Y is usually aluminum, but can also be chromium or iron. Some potassium can be in the A position, some manganese can be in the X position and some vanadium can be found in the Y position, but these elements are usually not represented in the formulas of the tourmaline members.

    These are the members of the Tourmaline Group of minerals:

  • Buergerite (Sodium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide Fluoride)
  • Chromdravite (Sodium Magnesium Chromium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide Fluoride)
  • Dravite (Sodium Magnesium Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide)
  • Elbaite (Sodium Lithium Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide)
  • Feruvite (Calcium Iron Magnesium Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide)
  • Foitite (Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide)
  • Liddicoatite (Sodium Lithium Aluminum Boro-silicate Oxide Hydroxidem Fluoride)
  • Olenite (Sodium Aluminum Boro-silicate Oxide Hydroxide)
  • Povondravite (Sodium Iron Boro-silicate Hydroxide Oxide)
  • Schorl (Sodium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide)
  • Uvite (Calcium Sodium Magnesium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide Fluoride)
ELBAITE

INDICOLITE
a variety of
ELBAITE

DRAVITE

ELBAITE

UVITE

ELBAITE IN QUARTZ

See Our Tourmaline Specimens of
Dravite - Elbaite
 Indicolite
Schorl - Uvite

Amethyst Galleries sells natural mineral specimens, including precious metals and gemstones. For Fine Jewelry, please visit


Amethyst Galleries'
Mineral Gallery

MINERALS

By Name
Groupings
By Class
Gemstones
Birthstones, etc.)
Properties
Rocks
Search
Books

Natural (Uncut) Gemstone Crystals

Diamond

Ruby

Sapphire

Emerald

Aquamarine


Topaz

Tanzanite

Spinel

Amethyst

Moldavite

Scapolite

Rhodochrosite

Apatite


Red Beryl

Gold

Silver

Natural (Uncut)
Birthstone Crystals


Jan: Garnet


Feb: Amethyst


Mar: Aquamarine


Apr: Diamond


May: Emerald


Jun: Alexandrite


Jul: Ruby


Aug: Peridot


Sep: Sapphire


Oct: Opal/Tourmaline


Nov: Topaz


Dec: Tanzanite

 

Copyright ©1995-2023 by Amethyst Galleries, Inc.