What is the difference between beryl and beryllium?

Due to their varied and beautiful colors, transparency and brilliance, beryl group minerals have long been very popular.

Origin

Beryl is the most common mineral of the chemical element beryllium. It is found in various post-magmatic formations associated with granites – pegmatites, greisens and hydrothermal deposits. All the largest and most perfect crystals of jewelry beryl come from chamber pegmatites of Brazil, Madagascar, Ukraine, South Africa, Namibia, Sri Lanka, as well as from the limestones of Colombia. In Russia, the main sources of jewelry beryl are deposits of different nature in the Urals, Transbaikalia, and the Far East. Unfortunately, many of them have now been exhausted.

Composition and varieties of beryl

Beryl is composed of elements such as beryllium, aluminum, silicon and oxygen. The variety of colors of the beryl group is due to the different content of impurity elements, which is individual not only for each deposit, but also for each type of ore bodies that contain these valuable crystals. The color of beryl covers almost all the colors of the spectrum and almost every color subgroup has its own name. Emerald is the most valuable variety of beryl. The green color of emerald is due to the presence of coloring elements such as chromium or vanadium. By their nature, almost all emerald crystals have a rich “inner life”. These can be mineral or gas-liquid inclusions, various cracks, bubbles or feathers. Aquamarine is a blue or greenish-blue transparent beryl, the color of which can be compared to the color of tropical sea water. The color is due to the presence of iron in the mineral as an impurity element. Unlike emeralds, aquamarines are characterized by a higher degree of transparency and purity. Heliodor is a “golden” beryl that ranges in color from pale yellow to deep yellow, sometimes with a greenish tint. This palette is caused by the presence of ferric iron ions in the composition. For this color variety of beryl, as for aquamarine, the formation of fairly large pure crystals under free growth conditions is typical. Morganite is primarily known for its pastel range of pinks, peach and lilac tones. This range of colors is due to the presence of magnesium in its structure. Large examples without visible defects are rare and highly prized on the market. Bixbyite – the rarest variety of beryl has a red color that occurs due to a small amount of manganese. Today there is only one deposit of bixbyite. It is located in Utah, USA. Goshenite is a colorless beryl that is not often found on the jewelry market. This is due to its low popularity and the large number of other colorless minerals. It contains several elements that can act as color inhibitors during irradiation enhancement.

Beryl synthesis

Many beryls can be successfully synthesized using various methods, but today the vast majority are grown using the hydrothermal method (copying natural processes). The result is very impressive stones, often even with inclusions characteristic of natural samples. Saturated emeralds (including the most expensive variety – Colombian emeralds), rare bixbyites, juicy morganites and promising neon blue beryls, which can rightfully be a worthy replacement for Paraiba tourmaline. Since not a single company in the world is engaged in the synthesis of tourmaline due to the high complexity of the process.

Applications of beryl

Opaque beryls, which are not used in jewelry, are the main ore for obtaining beryllium metal. In turn, beryllium salts are used in various industries. Due to the variety of beautiful colors, transparency and good hardness, beryls are a beneficial cutting material that has long been very popular. The shapes and types of cuts are quite diverse, but step cutting prevails, especially for emeralds. Opaque stones or individuals with asterism or a “cat’s eye” effect are processed in cabochon form.

Conclusion

Nature never ceases to amaze us with its bright colors and unusual combinations of chemical elements in natural stones. The beryl group minerals are clear evidence of this. And with the development of technology, man only reproduces the natural conditions for the growth of crystals so that anyone, even the most sophisticated buyer, can please himself with a worthy copy of the stone he likes. Beryl comes from the Latin “berylius”, and translated means “green mineral”. Beryls come in a wide variety of colors. Ordinary beryl is considered to be stones of yellowish and greenish tones. Sometimes star beryls and cat’s eye beryls are also found. The origin of the name of this stone is still unknown. As one version, “beryl” translated from German means “spectacles.” According to historians, beryl was used in ancient times to make glasses for glasses and telescopes. The beauty of the stone was appreciated back in the 1527th century. Remy Belot, a Frenchman who lived in 1577-1284, dedicated his poem to this beautiful stone, in which he praised the beauty and unusualness of beryl. Thanks to modern technologies, beryllium metal can be extracted from beryl; it has wonderful properties. Beryllium can withstand temperatures up to +XNUMX degrees. This gemstone has exceptional heat resistance. It has found its successful application in the manufacture of the most important parts of aircraft, spacecraft and rockets. Gem-quality beryls are a real find because they are quite rare. The collection of the Mining Institute of St. Petersburg carefully preserves the largest beryl, jewelry quality, in the world, it has an asparagus color. The weight of this gemstone is 2546 grams, and its size is 24×11 centimeters.

Overview

• Aquamarine – blue, bluish-green, blue (Fe2+, Fe3+),
• Bixbite crimson red (Mn3+),
• Morganite, Vorobievite – pink (Li, Cs, Mn),
• Heliodor (Davidsonite) – yellow, greenish-yellow (Fe3+),
• Goshenite is colorless,
• Rosterite – colorless, white (Na and other alkalis),
• Emerald – deep green, herbal (Cr3+,V3+),
• Aquamarine-maxix – sapphire blue (rich in alkalis),
• Geshinite is apple green.

Beryls are also characterized by variations with the effect of asterism, cat’s eye, and iridescence.

Selection form

Beryl forms long- and short-prismatic, needle-shaped crystals, often with longitudinal shading, less often tabular and case-shaped crystals, radial aggregates, druses, granular aggregates and solid masses. Beryl crystals up to several meters long are known. Often the structure of faces with growth figures and dissolution pits. With strong dissolution, beryl crystals acquire a “sucked” appearance with very deep dissolution channels extended along l6.

Main diagnostic signs

Very characteristic features of beryl are: the high hardness of the mineral and the very characteristic appearance of the crystals (sheaf-shaped). Beryls differ from chrysoberyl and phenacite in specific gravity and optical properties.

Related Minerals

Beryl is found in association with arsenopyrite, albite, wolframite, cassiterite, quartz, columbite-tantalite group minerals, lepidolite, muscovite, feldspars, rutile, spodumene, topaz, tourmalines, phenacite, phlogopite, fluorite, and chrysoberyl.

Origin

Igneous: beryl is found in rare metal granites (sparrowite or morganite, roasterite) and granite pegmatites (heliodor, aquamarine, goshenite). In pegmatites, beryl crystals sometimes reach several meters in length.

Postmagmatic: found in greisen, in cavities in rhyolite (bixbite) and in quartz veins.
Metamorphic: in metamorphosed mafic rocks.

Place of Birth

Deposits with beryl in the world are very numerous. Deposits of gem-quality beryl are known in Russia (Altai, Transbaikalia), the USA, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, China, India, Afghanistan, the countries of South Africa, and Ukraine (Volyn).

Dark green beryl crystals (emeralds) are mined in Russia (“Emerald mines” in the Middle Urals), in Colombia (Muzo and Chivor states), in Brazil (Bahia state, Minas Gerais state), in Pakistan (Minogora) and in Austria (Habakhtal).

Application

Beryl is an ore of beryllium. Beryllium is used in nuclear technology, as well as in the production of various beryllium alloys used in the aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, electrical and electronic industries. A limiting factor in expanding the scope of beryllium applications is its high cost and increased toxicity, which entails numerous environmental problems during its extraction.

Beryllium poses a great danger to people working with it, since Be oxide causes pneumonia and inflammatory skin processes.

Colored, transparent varieties of beryl are used as precious and ornamental stones, as well as collection material.

Properties of the Mineral

Color	Colorless, white, light blue to deep blue, bluish green, yellowish green, yellow, green, emerald green, light pink to deep pink, crimson, red.
Line color	white
Origin of the name	possibly from the Greek word beryllos – which in ancient times referred to blue-green stones
Opening year	known since ancient times
IMA status	valid
Chemical formula	Al2Be3[Si6O18]
Brilliance	glass fatty wax
Transparency	transparent translucent shines through
Cleavage	imperfect in
Kink	conchoidal uneven
Hardness	7,5 8
Thermal properties	Under item tr. does not melt, only the edges of the fragments are slightly rounded, and the transparent differences become cloudy (at high temperatures). Glass with borax is transparent and colorless; only emerald produces pale green-colored pearls.
Typical impurities	Fe,Mn,Mg,Ca,Cr,Na,Li,Cs,O,H,OH,H2O,K,Rb
Strunz (8th edition)	8/E.12-10
Hey’s CIM Ref.	16.6.1
Dana (8th edition)	61.1.1.1
Molecular weight	537.50
Cell Options	a = 9.21Å, c = 9.19Å
Attitude	a:c = 1 : 0.998
Number of formula units (Z)	2
Unit cell volume	V 675.10 ų
Point group	6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) – Dihexagonal-bipyramidal
Space group	P6/mcc (P6/m 2/s 2/s)
Density (measured)	2.63 – 2.92
Refractive indices	nω = 1.568 – 1.602 nε = 1.564 – 1.595
Maximum birefringence	δ = 0.004 – 0.007
Type	single-axis (-)
Optical relief	moderate
Selection form	prismatic hexagonal crystals, columnar aggregates
Classes on taxonomy of the USSR	Silicates
IMA classes	Silicates
Syngonia	hexagonal
fragility	Yes
Literature	Barsanov G.P. Article about Beryl in TSB Bartoshinsky Z.V., Matkovsky O.I., Srebrodolsky B.I. Accessory beryl from chamber pegmatites of Volyn. – Mineral. Sat. Lvovsk. University, 1969, No. 23, Issue. 4, p. 328-397 Beus A.A. Geochemistry of beryllium and genetic types of beryllium deposits. M., 1960, 329 p. Vozbutsky G.L. Surface structure of beryl crystals. – In: Crystallography, 1956, issue. 5 Dymkov Yu.M., Dymkova G.A. Signs of repeated dissolution of beryl crystals. – In the book: Ontogenic methods for studying minerals. M.: Nauka, 1970, p. 109-123 Dymkova G.A. Ontogeny of step-pyramidal beryl crystals. – In the book: Genesis of mineral individuals and aggregates. M.: Nauka, 1966, p. 106-116 Pekov I.V. Remarkable finds of beryllium minerals on the territory of the USSR. – World of Stones, 1994, No. 4, pp. 3-12 (10-26).

View the mineral Beryl in mineral stores

Photo of Mineral

Related Articles

• The name of the mineral came to us through the Latin beryllus

The beryl group includes emerald, aquamarine and regular beryl.

Shepard proposed calling the colorless goshenites discovered in 1844 at the Goshen deposit (USA, New Hampshire).

Yellow beryl is known as heliodor, and golden beryl was called davitsonite

Pink beryl is known by two names: sparrowite (in Russia and several European countries) and morganite (in the USA).

Noble beryl has been used as a jewelry stone since ancient times due to the unique beauty of the color of its many varieties

Beryls are one of the most famous groups of precious stones in the world, and they have been considered precious since time immemorial. And although these stones cannot in any way be called leaders in the “precious stone” world in terms of variety of colors, nevertheless, in this sense, they are also doing well.

Currently, the vast majority of what we see on the world market are light, unsaturated blue stones. Aquamarines from several deposits, distinguished by the greatest intensity of greenish-blue color, have acquired their own names