Black Tourmaline (Schorl) Specimen with Albite & Quartz — Skardu Valley, Pakistan - A

Black Tourmaline (Schorl) Specimen with Albite & Quartz — Skardu Valley, Pakistan

A small natural specimen from Skardu Valley in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region — one of the world's most significant sources of mineral specimens. This piece brings together three minerals in a single matrix: black schorl tourmaline, white albite feldspar, and quartz, the combination that Skardu is particularly well known for producing. The contrast between the jet black tourmaline crystals, the white albite, and the glassy quartz is striking even at small scale, and the natural association between the three minerals tells the story of how they formed together in the same pegmatite environment.

Stone Facts:

• Schorl is the iron-rich end member of the tourmaline group — a complex boron silicate mineral whose black colouration is caused by high iron content within the crystal structure
• Albite is a sodium-rich plagioclase feldspar (NaAlSi₃O₈) — the white to pale grey matrix mineral commonly associated with tourmaline in granitic pegmatites
• All three minerals in this specimen — tourmaline, albite, and quartz — are characteristic pegmatite species, forming together in the final, mineral-rich stage of granite crystallisation where large, well-formed crystals develop slowly in fluid-rich cavities
• Skardu Valley in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region is internationally regarded as one of the finest sources of tourmaline specimens in the world, producing material collected by museums and private collectors globally
• Tourmaline sits at Mohs 7–7.5; quartz at Mohs 7; albite at Mohs 6–6.5 — a robust specimen suitable for display and careful handling

Traditional & Folklore Properties:

• Black tourmaline (schorl) is one of the most consistently cited protective stones in crystal folklore — traditionally used to create a grounded, energetically clear environment and to deflect negative energy
• Quartz is widely associated with amplification and clarity; albite with calm, communication, and mental steadiness in some traditions

Product Details:

• Natural schorl tourmaline with albite and quartz matrix
• Origin: Skardu Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
• Natural mineral association — as found
• You will receive the exact item shown

Suggested Uses:

• Collector's mineral specimen — Skardu provenance is a meaningful detail for serious collectors
• Display piece for a mineral or crystal collection
• Root chakra or protective energy work
• A considered gift for anyone interested in geology or natural history

Important Notes:

• Colours may vary slightly depending on lighting conditions
• Natural specimens may have minor chips, inclusions, and surface variation inherent to raw mineral material
• Please allow 1–3mm difference due to manual measurement
• Photos taken to best represent true colours; may vary slightly in natural light

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