Beryl

A beryllium silicate behind emerald (green), aquamarine (blue) and morganite (pink). It grows as neat six-sided columns with flat ends.

Beryl specimen — Photo: Reno Chris at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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.

Often confused with

Apatite
Apatite also forms hexagonal prisms but is much softer (5).
Compare side by side
Quartz
Quartz prisms end in points; beryl's ends are usually flat.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

Muzo, Colombia
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Madagascar

Uses

Gemstones and beryllium metal for aerospace alloys.

Rock tumbling

Great for tumbling.

Did you know?

A beryl crystal from Malakialina, Madagascar, measured about 18 meters long.

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