Tourmaline

Tourmaline - The Electric Stone

Tourmaline is a naturally occurring mineral widely used as a semi-precious gemstone, and it has unique electric properties responsible for many beneficial health effects.

Tourmaline is known to generate a weak electric current, producing far infrared rays and converting moisture in the air to negative ions. Unlike mechanically produced negative ions, those generated by tourmaline are completely natural and safe and have no negative side effects. In fact, many of the beneficial effects of tourmaline are thought to be brought about by the negative ions it emits.

Tourmaline can be black, transparent or any translucent shade of red, pink, purple, yellow, green, blue, brown or amber. It can also appear as a lovely combination of any of these colors. Tourmaline gems were beloved by rulers such as Catherine the Great of Russia and Empress Dowager Tz'u Hsi, the last Empress of China.

Ionic Balance Bracelets contain black tourmaline, believed by holistic practitioners to emit the most powerful healing energy of all tourmaline gems. Click here to read more about how black tourmaline is used in holistic healing.

Positive Effects of Tourmaline

Mineralizes Water - Tourmaline is thought to be effective in removing the foul odor from drinking water by altering the bad-smelling component of chlorine.

Alkalinizes Water and Body Fluids - Tourmaline can also make water slightly alkaline. Because tropical fish favor such an environment, it is beneficial for them to have their fish tanks lined with tourmaline. Worn directly on the body, tourmaline also adjusts body fluids to a slightly alkaline pH, which is optimal for health.

Suppresses Electromagnetic Fields - In recent years, tourmaline has been closely investigated for its potential to counteract the effects of electromagnetic fields, which are thought to be harmful. Researchers suspect that the weak electric current generated by tourmaline suppresses electromagnetic fields in the immediate environment.

Fights Bacteria and Maintains Freshness - Tourmaline has been shown to have antibacterial and deodorizing effects when placed in refrigerators and cars. In addition, tourmaline prevents foul smells from being absorbed into a variety of materials.

Surfactant Properties - Because of its surfactant (detergent) properties, tourmaline enhances cleaning effectiveness and prevents dirt adhesion.

Health Effects - Worn on the body, tourmaline is thought to prevent cholesterol coagulation and build-up in blood vessels. Cells throughout the body are invigorated and immune function is enhanced by tourmaline. It is also thought to purify the blood, stimulate the autonomic nervous system, calm overexcited sympathetic nerves, and promote sound sleep.

Generates Negative Ions & Far Infrared Rays - The tourmaline granules in Ionic Balance Bands can be effective in treating neck stiffness and other conditions, because the weak electric current and far infrared rays that they generate improve circulation. In addition, tourmaline's electrolytic properties cause it to emit negative ions, which are thought to have multiple healing effects on the mind and body.

These many beneficial properties make tourmaline (especially black tourmaline) one of the most amazing minerals on the planet.

Discovery of a Weak Electric Current in Tourmaline

Scientists have long been intrigued by the unique electrical and magnetic properties of tourmaline. Benjamin Franklin, the inventor of the lightning rod, possessed at least one tourmaline stone and is said to have used it in his experiments. In 1880, Pierre Curie, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics (with his wife, the famous Marie Curie), discovered with his brother Jacques, a mineralogist, that tourmaline carries a weak electric charge when it is heated (pyroelectricity) or when pressure is applied to its surface (piezoelectricity). Later, research in Japan confirmed that tourmaline carries a faint but constant electric charge of 0.06mA, which is why tourmaline continues to be known as "the electric stone," especially in Asia. Japanese researchers also found that no matter how small tourmaline is ground or crushed, it is still capable of conveying an electric current. This helps explain the effectiveness of the tourmaline powder in Ionic Balance products.

Unlimited Solar Energy Is the Source of Tourmaline's Power!

The electric current that courses through tourmaline is actually a flow of electrons originating in the sun. The sun bathes the earth in a continuous stream of negatively charged electrons, which enter the positively charged side of the tourmaline material and exit from the oppositely charged side. With this current flowing through it at all times, tourmaline is like a battery with unlimited life, one that never runs out!

Workers in Tourmaline Mines Experience Fewer Illnesses

The first tourmaline, discovered in 1703 in Sri Lanka, was transparent. Hence, the gemstone was first used as imitation diamond. However, gradually it became clear that tourmaline possessed some amazing qualities of its own. For instance, it was observed that tourmaline crystal warmed by sunlight demonstrated the mysterious ability to attract and repulse lightweight objects (illustrating the gem's pyroelectric properties). Moreover, although bronchial ailments are generally common among miners, workers in Brazilian tourmaline mines were found to suffer fewer such illnesses.

The Power of Black Tourmaline in Holistic Healing

In holistic healing, tourmaline is known for a variety of healing properties (such as enhancing mental alertness, increasing self-confidence, and strengthening one's psychic energy), with the particular use depending on the color of the gem. Black tourmaline has been used since ancient times to deflect negative energy. It is linked to the root chakra and spiritual grounding in energetic healing and is used for treating anxiety, nervous disorders, kidney and adrenal problems, and heart disease. Black tourmaline is also thought to boost immune function and shield the body from the effects of radiation.