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Tourmaline
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 Tourmaline

Introduction

Tourmaline has trigonal crystal properties with the following complex chemical composition (one of the most complicated groups of silicate minerals):

  • Na(Al,Fe,Li,Mg,Mn)M3Al(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH,F)4
  • XY3Z6 [(BO3) 3Si6O18 (OH, F) 4]
  • X= (approx., well, K, Mn)
  • Y= (mg, left, aluminium, Mn, Fe II)
  • Z= (aluminium, mg, Ti, CR, V, Fe III)

    Chemical properties: Alumina borosilicate with fluorine.

    Color: commonly black but can range from violet to green and pink.

    Crystals show piezoelectric, pyroelectric effect and strong pleochroismus.


    • Copyright 2006
    Last updated 21 July 2006