Tourmaline (Black)

Black Tourmaline (Schorl) The most common species of Tourmaline is Schorl, which accounts for ninety-five percent of all Tourmaline in nature. Black Tourmaline, is a silicate mineral containing boron and a member of the Tourmaline family. It was first named in 1400 A. D. by a small village in Saxony, Germany after their village's original name, Schorl.

Tourmalines of all kinds can be found on every continent however crystal forms of these stones are very rare and can be extremely expensive. Tourmalines have been used and traded since ancient times, yet became a very popular fashion stone about 150 years ago. Tourmalines were used in the Mediterranean during ancient times. A statue of Alexander the Great, found and believed to be carved in India, confirms this. As of recently, the statue has been dated back to the second or third century B.

C. Tourmalines of all colors can be electrically charged by rubbing your fingers on each end, resulting in the attraction of particles in the air. Needles of Black Tourmaline, or Schorl, can also be found embedded in clear Quartz, called Tourmalinated or Tourmalated Quartz. The combination of clear white and radiant black is believed to create a perfect polarity of energies, a manifestation of light and dark forces united together for a common goal. It is regarded as a symbol of great fortune.

One of Tourmaline's most distinguishing properties is its ability to become electrically charged simply by heating or rubbing it. When charged, one end becomes positive and the other negative, allowing it to attract, or repel, particles of dust or bits of paper. This property of pyroelectricity (from heat) or piezoelectricity (from pressure or rubbing) was well-known to the Dutch traders of the 1700s who used Tourmaline to pull ash from their Meerschaum pipes, calling the stone Aschentrekker, or "ash puller."