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Mineral

Beryl

Silicate Minerals

Beryl is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2(SiO3)6. Its well-known varieties include emerald and aquamarine. Naturally occurring hexagonal crystals can reach several meters in size, although terminated crystals are relatively rare. Pure beryl is colorless but is frequently tinted by impurities, with green, blue, yellow, pink and red (the rarest) all possible, and it is an ore source of beryllium. In this atlas it is the mineral species that gemstones such as emerald and aquamarine record.

Beryl is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2(SiO3)6. Its well-known varieties include emerald and aquamarine. Naturally occurring hexagonal crystals can reach several meters in size, although terminated crystals are relatively rare. Pure beryl is colorless but is frequently tinted by impurities, with green, blue, yellow, pink and red (the rarest) all possible, and it is an ore source of beryllium. In this atlas it is the mineral species that gemstones such as emerald and aquamarine record.

Facts
Chemical Formula
Be3Al2(SiO3)6 1
Chemical Formula
Be3Al2(SiO3)6 1
Hardness (Mohs)
7.75 1
Commonly cited range is 7.5 to 8.0 on the Mohs scale; 7.75, the midpoint, is used here.
Hardness (Mohs)
7.75 1
Commonly cited range is 7.5 to 8.0 on the Mohs scale; 7.75, the midpoint, is used here.
Colour
Colourless or White 2
Colour
Colourless or White 2
Colour
Grey or Black 2
Colour
Grey or Black 2
Colour
Brown 2
Colour
Brown 2
Colour
Red or Pink 2
Colour
Red or Pink 2
Colour
Orange or Yellow 2
Colour
Orange or Yellow 2
Colour
Green 2
Colour
Green 2
Colour
Blue or Purple 2
Colour
Blue or Purple 2
Lustre
Vitreous 2
Lustre
Vitreous 2
Lustre
Waxy or Greasy 2
Lustre
Waxy or Greasy 2
Rarity
Rare 3
Rarity
Rare 3
Classification
Strunz Class
Silicates 1
Strunz Class
Silicates 1
Crystal System
Hexagonal 1
Crystal System
Hexagonal 1
Use
Gemstone 1
Use
Gemstone 1
Connections

Caused By

Fractional Crystallization, Processes
Source Pegmatite (Wikipedia)
Hydrothermal Mineral Deposition, Processes
Source Beryl (Wikipedia)
Metasomatism, Processes
Source Beryl (Wikipedia)

Crystallizes In System

Hexagonal Crystal System, Concepts
Hexagonal Crystal System, Concepts

In Discipline

Mineralogy, Disciplines
In the Other Atlases

Mineral Species Of

Aquamarine

Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.

Emerald

Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.

White Beryl

Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.

Yellow Beryl

Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.

Found In

Brazil

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Beryl mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Colombia, Zambia, Brazil , and Zimbabwe are major producers of gem-quality emerald
Colombia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Beryl mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Colombia, Zambia, Brazil , and Zimbabwe are major producers of gem-quality emerald
United States

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Beryl mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
A small amount of emerald is sporadically mined in the United States near Hiddenite, North Carolina
Zambia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Beryl mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Colombia, Zambia, Brazil , and Zimbabwe are major producers of gem-quality emerald
Zimbabwe

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Beryl mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Colombia, Zambia, Brazil , and Zimbabwe are major producers of gem-quality emerald
Sources
1. Beryl (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Beryl, lead paragraph
    is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2(SiO3)6
  • Beryl, article text
    Well-known varieties of beryl include emerald and aquamarine.
View the Source
2. minerals.net: Beryl
minerals.net
  • Color field
    Light to emerald green, light to deep sky-blue, blue-green, yellow, pink, purple, red, orange, brown, colorless, white, and gray. May also be multicolored blue, green, yellow, or white, and may also have deeper color highlights on one crystal end.
  • Luster field
    Vitreous, waxy
View the Source
3. Geology.com: Beryl mineral and gemstone
Geology.comDescription
Quote, Description
Beryl is a relatively rare silicate mineral
View the Source
Pegmatite (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationCaused By: Fractional Crystallization, Petrology
Quote, Caused By: Fractional Crystallization, Petrology
A typical sequence of deposition begins with microcline and quartz, with minor schorl and garnet. This is followed by deposition of albite, lepidolite, gem tourmaline, beryl, spodumene, amblygonite, topaz, apatite, and fluorite, which may partially replace some of the minerals in the earlier zone.
View the Source
Beryl (Wikipedia)
  • Caused By: Hydrothermal Mineral Deposition, Deposits
    Beryl is often associated with tin and tungsten ore bodies formed as high-temperature hydrothermal veins.
  • Caused By: Metasomatism, Deposits
    Beryl is sometimes found in metasomatic contacts of igneous intrusions with gneiss, schist, or carbonate rocks.
View the Source
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