|
|
Jamming Gems Beryl Info
Beryl
 |
General Information:
Beryl's name comes from the Ancient Greek beryllos which once was
applied to all green gemstones, but later used only for beryl. Besides as a
gemstone, beryl is the principle source of beryllium. They use it to
manufacture light-weight metal alloys of high tensile strength and superior
hardness and fatigue resistance. Emerald, a member of the beryl family is
considered one of the traditional four precious gemstones.
When pure, beryl is colorless (goshenite), but beryl comes in a variety of
colors including; blue to blue-green (aquamarine), green (emerald), yellow
(golden beryl), red (bixbite), pink (morganite) when tinted by impurities.
Beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18) is found most often in silica rich granites and granite
pegmatites in association with quartz, feldspars and muscovite. In these
pegmatites beryl can be the varieties of aquamarine, heliodor and morganite.
Beryl can also be found in mica schists of metamorphic-hydrothermal deposits,
where the schists form by chemical interaction between the pegmatites and
surrounding basic rocks. Emeralds are created when, the basic rock contains
small amounts of chromium, which gives emeralds the intense green color.
Bixbite or red beryl is very rare, and is found within gas cavities of
rhyolite.
|
Origin:
Beryl is found in Europe (Norway, Austria, Germany, and Ireland), as well as
Brazil, Colombia, Madagascar, Sweden (especially morganite), Russia, South
Africa, the United States (California, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Connecticut, New
Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah), and Zambia. |
Common Treatments and Lab Created
Forms:
Some beryl is treated with radiation such as dark blue beryls. This radiation
treatment is similar to the treatment they use on blue topaz. Other beryls,
like morganite and aquamarine can be heat treated to enhance the color and to
get rid of any yellow that may be present in the gem. Emeralds are often oiled.
In this process the emerald is immersed in oil (usually colorless), doing this
helps hide inclusions.
There are lab created forms of emeralds and aquamarine available in the market.
Also available is simulated emerald, which is similar in color to the natural
gem. |
Physical Properties:
Moh's Scale Hardness: 7.5-8
Specific Gravity: 2.62-2.91
Refractive Index: 1.566 - 1.602
Fracture: conchoidal, brittle
Crystal Habit: prismatic crystals can be elongated or flattened and are often
vertically striated and grooved.
Colors: blue to blue-green (aquamarine), green (emerald), yellow (golden
beryl), red (bixbite), pink (morganite), and colorless (goshenite).
|
|
Product Menu at top
