Brightly colored sir lankan gem tourmalines were brought to Europe in great quantities by the Duch east india company to satisfy a demand for curiosities and gems. At the time it was not realised that schorl and tourmaline were the same mineral. Tourmaline was sometimes called the "Ceylonese [Sri Lankan] Magnet" because it could attract and then repel hot ashes due to its pyroelectric properties.
Tourmalines were used by chemists in the 19th century as method of polarizing light; by shining rays onto a cut and polished surface of the gem
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