RocksdayBeryl vs Chrysoberyl
How to tell them apart
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
A very hard beryllium aluminum oxide. Its varieties include color-changing alexandrite and cat's eye.
Photo: Matteo Chinellato, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Heft: Chrysoberyl feels noticeably heavier for its size (specific gravity 3.7–3.8 vs 2.63–2.92).
Key differences
- Beryl is softer and forms long hexagonal prisms.
Side by side
| Property | Beryl | Chrysoberyl |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 7.5–8 | 8.5 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Vitreous |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Green, Blue, Pink, Yellow | Yellow, Green, Brown |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal | Orthorhombic |
| Specific gravity | 2.63–2.92 | 3.7–3.8 |
| Formula | Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈ | BeAl₂O₄ |
| Found in | Muzo, Colombia; Minas Gerais, Brazil | Sri Lanka; Minas Gerais, Brazil |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
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 →How to identify chrysoberyl
- Hardness 8.5 — harder than topaz.
- Yellow-green, often in heart-shaped or six-pointed twinned crystals.
- Alexandrite looks green in daylight and red under incandescent light.
Crystal system: Orthorhombic
Full Chrysoberyl guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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