RocksdayApatite vs Beryl
How to tell them apart
A calcium phosphate group of minerals — the same family that makes up your teeth and bones.
Photo: Thomas Spann, CC BY 2.0
A beryllium silicate behind emerald (green), aquamarine (blue) and morganite (pink). It grows as neat six-sided columns with flat ends.
Photo: Reno Chris at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Quick tests
- Scratch glass: Beryl scratches glass (Mohs 7.5–8); Apatite can't (Mohs 5).
Key differences
- Beryl looks similar but is much harder (7.5–8).
- Apatite also forms hexagonal prisms but is much softer (5).
Side by side
| Property | Apatite | Beryl |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 5 | 7.5–8 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Vitreous |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Green, Blue, Yellow, Purple | Green, Blue, Pink, Yellow |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal | Hexagonal |
| Specific gravity | 3.16–3.22 | 2.63–2.92 |
| Formula | Ca₅(PO₄)₃(F,Cl,OH) | Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈ |
| Found in | Durango, Mexico; Madagascar | Muzo, Colombia; Minas Gerais, Brazil |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify apatite
- Six-sided prisms, often with flat ends.
- Hardness 5 — a knife just scratches it.
- Glassy, often yellow-green or neon blue.
- No obvious cleavage.
Crystal system: Hexagonal
Full Apatite guide →How to identify beryl
- Six-sided columns with flat, not pointed, ends.
- Harder than quartz (7.5–8).
- Glassy, often with lengthwise lines.
- Found in granite pegmatites.
Crystal system: Hexagonal
Full Beryl guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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