Black Tourmaline: Benefits, Properties & Potential EMF Protection Uses

 

It’s incredible how nature offers us a veritable wealth of crystals and gemstones, each with its own special healing qualities on our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

And sometimes, the most abundant gems turn out to have the most surprising benefits - like the black tourmaline.

In our third blog of the EMF crystal series, we explore this enigmatic stone in detail. Scroll down to find out its origins, properties and health benefits. 

Black Tourmaline: Origin & Physical Qualities

The word ‘tourmaline’ comes from the Sinhalese word ‘Toramalli’, which means stone mixed with colors - which is exactly what these stones are! The earliest tourmalines discovered were actually green in color. As a result, they were mistaken for emeralds by the Portuguese explorers (!) who stumbled upon them in the 1500s. It was only later in the late 1800s when it was realized that these stones belonged to their own group of minerals.

Although they are abundantly available in most continents of the world, Brazil is the world’s biggest source of black tourmaline with parts of Africa and Asia producing the remaining supply. 

Versatile Varieties

In this blog post, we’re talking very specifically about black tourmaline, but tourmaline crystals as a whole are one of the world’s most brightly coloured gems.

The presence of different types of metals give tourmalines their many colors. Black tourmaline gets its dark color due to the presence of iron, and this variety is known as schorl. Magnesium-rich types are brown to yellow, and lithium-rich varieties are found in several colors - green, blue, red, pink, and yellow to name a few.

Tough, Hexagonal Structure

Black tourmaline features on number 7 to 7.5 on Moh’s hardness scale. Considering that diamond, the world’s hardest stone is at number 10, you can understand that black tourmaline is a pretty tough stone in itself!

This also means that black tourmaline is fairly resistant to scratches. Because they’re part of the crystalline boron silicate family, tourmalines grow as hexagonal crystals. You’ll see that they form neat vertical layers that are easily visible.

Piezoelectric & Pyroelectric Properties

Tourmalines are known to have piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties, ie. these crystals possess large natural electric fields and emit negative ions in certain conditions.

Tourmalines emit an electrical charge when any kind of physical stress is applied (piezoelectric effect) or when they experience a change in temperature (pyroelectric). This property plays a crucial role in their healing properties.

Benefits of Black Tourmaline 

Black tourmaline is highly coveted among crystal healers for its several healing properties. Before we list down its benefits, we strongly recommend that you only purchase black tourmalines that are certified for their authenticity. The crystal’s benefits can only be enjoyed if it is authentic and not artificially manufactured.

It is also very important that you muscle test anything you’re working with for protection or healing to ensure that it works for you. What works for other people may not be as effective for you.

Lowers Blood Pressure & Stress Levels

A study conducted on hypertensive rats showed that the negative ions emitted by a tourmaline ionizer system may have lowered elevated blood pressure, and controlled the sympathetic nervous system response. This is the system in our bodies responsible for stress levels and the flight-or-flight response. 

May Help with Certain Skin Conditions

A study comparing the efficacy of pure cotton clothes with anion clothes (a polyester fiber made from fine crusted tourmaline) showed significant decrease in atopic dermatitis symptoms such as reduced transepidermal water loss in the group of participants who wore the anion fabric. 

Blocks Negative Energy & Promotes Stability

Black Tourmaline is widely used as a powerful way to remove negative energy and thought patterns. It can also promote positivity and mental clarity at the same time. It is thought that the crystal has a balancing and grounding effect on our energy, helping us establish a deeper connection with the Earth. Black tourmaline is known to be associated with the root chakra - which controls our sense of security and stability. 

Black Tourmaline & EMF Radiation

Lately, black tourmaline has gained some recognition for its potential EMF aligning properties. Placing a black tourmaline stone in your space or wearing it as jewelry can compensate for the effects of ambient wireless radiation on your body, for a limited time period.

However, as with most healing crystals, black tourmaline may not work as effectively in the presence of high EMF radiation levels, such as those emitted by wireless devices like smartphones and laptops. So while this fascinating crystal can surely be part of your EMF protection arsenal, it may not offer a complete solution - you’ll need reinforcements!

You can choose to wear black tourmaline as jewelry in necklaces, bracelets and pendants. Alternatively, you can place a standalone black tourmaline stone at the entrance of your house, and in the room with the highest wireless radiation activity. 

Final Thoughts

Just like different questions need different solutions, our own quest for wellness requires new answers at each stage, depending on what we seek. Black tourmaline’s grounding and positive qualities can be a worthy addition in our journey for health, peace and inner balance.

 

References and Interesting Reads

• Power spectral analysis of autonomic nervous activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats
• The Clinical Efficacy, Safety and Functionality of Anion Textile in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis
• Tourmaline