Schorl

Schorl from Mica Creek, Mount Isa District, Queensland, Australia, measuring 60 × 26 × 24 mm and weighing 71 grams. The recorded proportions describe a relatively narrow specimen, with a length more than twice its smaller dimensions. This is an Australian locality example of the iron-rich member of the Tourmaline group, a mineral family of considerable chemical variety.

Tourmalines are complex boron-bearing silicates, and Schorl is distinguished by its iron-rich composition. That places it alongside other Tourmaline species whose chemistry emphasises different elements, including magnesium-rich Dravite. A systematic collection can therefore use Schorl as a starting point for exploring relationships within the family, while a locality collection follows the individual occurrences from which specimens were recovered.

The dark, elongated specimen has strong reflections along one broad face and fine lengthwise surface lines. These linear features reinforce its narrow proportions, giving it a clear directional character. Light from the side is useful for appreciating the surface relief, bringing out detail that can disappear when a dark specimen is viewed only from the front. This specimen comes from the David Vince Collection. It offers a manageable Australian Schorl example with a named occurrence and a recorded ownership connection. The pleasure of a piece like this is in fitting it into a wider mineralogical story: Tourmaline is a familiar name, but the individual species and their localities reward much closer attention.