Beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate. Gem varieties include emerald green , aquamarine blue , morganite pink , and heliodor yellow . Color: Green, blue, yellow, pink, colorless. Luster: Vitreous. Streak: White. Cleavage: Poor. Hardness: 7.5-8. Transparency: Transparent to translucent. Crystal system: Hexagonal. Chemical formula: Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈. Specific gravity: 2.63-2.92. Formation: Crystallizes in granitic pegmatites and some metamorphic rocks where beryllium is concentrated. Common geological settings: Colombia emerald , Brazil, Pakistan, Madagascar; found in granitic pegmatites. Common look-alikes and related entries: Tourmaline, Apatite, Quartz.
These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
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GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:36:55.574633+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
Beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate. Gem varieties include emerald green , aquamarine blue , morganite pink , and heliodor yellow .
How can you identify Beryl?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Green, blue, yellow, pink, colorless; lustre: Vitreous; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 7.5-8; cleavage: Poor; crystal system: Hexagonal; transparency: Transparent to translucent. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Beryl form?
Crystallizes in granitic pegmatites and some metamorphic rocks where beryllium is concentrated.
Where is Beryl commonly found?
Colombia emerald , Brazil, Pakistan, Madagascar; found in granitic pegmatites.
What is Beryl commonly confused with?
Beryl may be confused with Tourmaline, Apatite, Quartz. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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