3.8" Black Tourmaline (Schorl), Feldspar, Goethite and Aquamarine

This is an association of orthoclase feldspar, goethite after siderite, black tourmaline (schorl) and small aquamarine crystals, collected from the Erongo Mountains in Namibia. The largest aquamarine crystal can be found nestled within one of the schorl crystals. Under short wave UV light, the feldspar fluoresces a vibrant pink-red color.

Schorl, also known as "black tourmaline" or "black schorl", is a black form of tourmaline that often occurs as lustrous prismatic crystals. The crystals can be stubby or elongated and typically feature lengthwise striations. Many schorl crystals have flattened pyramidal terminations. They can also form in radiating, columnar, and stalactitic aggregations, as well as small, needle-like inclusions within quartz (tourmalinated quartz) and in massive form.

Schorl is a basic sodium iron aluminum boro-silicate with the generic chemical formula NaFe2 + 3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4 . It has been used for everything from jewelry to piezoelectric guitar pickups.

Orthoclase is a feldspar mineral with the chemical formula KAlSi₃O₈ and a hardness of 6 - 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. It is considered a key component in many igneous rock formations and is one of the most abundant minerals throughout the continental crust. It can form individual crystals, but it is most commonly known for its pink coloration within granite rock. It has many commercial uses, including application in the production of a wide variety of ceramics, and is sometimes used in the manufacturing of glass.

Aquamarine is a blue-green variety of beryl. Oddly enough, it owes its color to iron(II) and iron(III) cations within the crystal lattice, of which iron(II) is responsible for the blue color, while iron(III) is responsible for the yellow color. The color vibrance and hue are dependent on the concentration of these cations, or lack of one or the other. The presence of both cations in the right position within the crystal lattice, can result in a deep blue colored crystal that is known as "maxixe".


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DETAILS
SPECIES
Tourmaline var. Schorl, Orthoclase Feldspar, Goethite & Beryl var. Aquamarine
LOCATION
Erongo Mountains, Namibia
SIZE
3.8" wide
CATEGORY
ITEM
#177541