Schorl (flattened near ''floater'' crystal)

Item Description

Here we have a good sized, sharp, lustrous very well-formed, compressed, trigonal crystal of jet-black Schorl Tourmaline from Möng Long. The piece is crystallized all over, but there are a few spots of either interrupted growth or possibly surface etching so it's not fully crystallized. I'm very impressed with the almost "wet" luster on the main pyramidal faces of the termination, along with the striated prism faces as well. There's even a tiny secondary crystal flaring off one edge for a nice touch. Very little damage. It's important to note that typically Schorl is found in prismatic elongated crystals, and while I've seen more stout and equant examples from various localities, it's rare to find compressed, discoidal examples like this. The tan spots on the crystal seem to be embedded pocket clay, most likely the remains of Feldspar that once existed in the pocket which were dissolved by some kind of solution in the pocket, leaving the Schorl crystals behind. A different kind of Tourmaline to be sure, and certainly worth picking up if you like Schorl or Tourmaline in general. From the collection of Bill ("Burma Bill") Larson of Fallbrook, California. Bill is a well-known gem and mineral dealer as well as a miner and collector. Bill traveled the world for decades in search of fine gems and minerals, and was directly involved in the in-person acquisition and importation of superb specimens and stones from Myanmar (Burma). You can read his biography at https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/larsonwilliam-f/