Schorl with Albite

specimen number:
8311441

location:
Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

description:
Lustrous black sharp terminated crystals of schorl coming off of a white bladed albite crystal matrix. An attractive combination piece. In good condition.

The Shigar Valley, located in the Skardu District of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, is a world-renowned alpine-type pegmatite field nestled within the high Karakoram Range. Geologically, the region is characterized by granitic pegmatites and hydrothermal veins that intrude into metamorphic rocks, including schists and gneisses, during the tectonic collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The valley is famous for producing exceptional specimens of schorl, the black iron-rich member of the tourmaline group, which occurs as highly lustrous, deeply striated jet-black crystals that can reach significant sizes, often found in aesthetic association with white cleavelandite or clear quartz. Historically, mining and quarrying in the Shigar Valley have been conducted for centuries by local inhabitants, but organized specimen mining gained significant international momentum in the late 1980s and 1990s. As of 2026, the area remains a highly active source of minerals, with dozens of small-scale and artisanal mining sites operating across steep mountain slopes at elevations exceeding 3000 meters. The valley continues to be a primary global exporter of both industrial-grade and collector-quality schorl, maintaining its status as a cornerstone locality for Pakistani mineralogy.

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