Tourmalinated Quartz is a popular collector variety of clear quartz that contains natural inclusions of acicular or needle-like black tourmaline crystals. The contrast between the needle-like tourmaline fibers and the transparent host quartz makes it highly sought after for both lapidary work and mineral displays.
Spotting tourmalinated quartz in the field
Field marks- 1
Black needles and rods of schorl tourmaline inside clear or milky quartz
- 2
Needles are matte black, not metallic, and often thicker than rutile
- 3
Sometimes shows a triangular cross-section on a thicker rod
Schorl is the common black tourmaline of granites and pegmatites, and where it grew into a quartz-filled cavity you get this. Look in pegmatite dumps and weathered granite. The triangular cross-section on a thicker included rod is a nice confirmation, since tourmaline crystallizes in a trigonal system and rutile does not.
Straight answers
- Is it worth cutting?
- Cabs and facets well, and the strong black-on-clear contrast suits simple, clean cuts. Thick rods can pluck on the polish, so finish gently.
- What is it really worth?
- Inexpensive to moderate. Clean quartz with well-spaced, sharply defined black rods is the good end.
- Can you legally keep it?
- Ordinary personal-use collecting rules apply. Pegmatite dumps are often on private mine property.
Often confused with
Tourmalinated Quartz vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Color and luster. Rutile is golden and metallic, schorl is black and matte.
How to tell apart: Dendrites branch in a plane and are surface-fed. Tourmaline rods are straight, solid and three-dimensional.
Often found alongside tourmalinated quartz
Minerals reported to co-occur with tourmalinated quartz. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Density
- 2.65 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals with Needle-like Inclusions
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $10-100 per specimen
Where rockhounds find tourmalinated quartz
Classic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Madagascar
- USA
- India
- Sri Lanka
Field-hunting tip
Look in pegmatites country, the host setting where tourmalinated quartz typically forms. If you start seeing tourmaline, feldspar, mica in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals with needle-like inclusions habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify tourmalinated quartz?+
Where is tourmalinated quartz found?+
How much is tourmalinated quartz worth?+
What rocks look like tourmalinated quartz?+
What minerals are found with tourmalinated quartz?+
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Find tourmalinated quartz on the map
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