BLACK TOURMALINE CRYSTALS (SCHORL) - Cornwall

BLACK TOURMALINE CRYSTALS (SCHORL) 

Hingston Down Quarry, Gunnislake, Cornwall

Black tourmaline, or ‘schorl’, is the most common variety of tourmaline. The crystals are usually opaque, highly lustrous and striated. It occurs in igneous rocks known as granite pegmatites. 

This specimen is a very good example of schorl from the well known mineral locality of Hingston Down Quarry. The crystals are on a block of micro-granite.

This is quite a large specimen, weighing over a kilogram. It sheds tiny tourmaline crystals if roughly handled.

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