It is very difficult to distinguish dravite from buergerite under normal circumstances since both are brown and only slightly translucent. Buergerite, when first discovered, was considered to be an unusual variety of schorl , another sodium iron tourmaline. But, the iron in buergerite is different than in schorl. This makes buergerite a rather unusual tourmaline. Despite all of this chemical mayhem, buergerite still retains its tourmaline structure and most of the typical tourmaline characteristics.
Color is dark brown.
Luster is vitreous. Crystals are translucent to opaque. The terminations can be either a simple to complex trigonal pyramid or a flat basal face. The prism faces are striated lengthwise. In cross section, all tourmalines will appear predominantly triangular in shape with some crystals showing a hexagon.