What Is a Beryl Gemstone?

Beryls make up a large family of gemstones, including aquamarine, emerald, and morganite. Although their colors can range from colorless to gold, blue or red, all beryls share the same basic composition, according to Gemstone.org.

Locations

Beryl deposits exist mostly in South America and Central and West Africa. Smaller deposits are located in the United States, Russia, Ukraine and Madagascar.

Characteristics

The chemical name of beryl is beryllium-aluminum-silicate, which, in its pure form, has no color. Beryls range in hardness from 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, which quantifies the hardness of minerals. A beryl's property of incorporating other elements and substances gives it a wide range of colors.

Aquamarine and Emerald

Aquamarine is beryl that contains iron, which turns it light blue. Emerald is beryl with chrome and/or vanadium, which turns it an intense green. Emerald typically contains inclusions and cracks. Lesser-known beryls include pink morganite, golden beryl and greenish-yellow heliodor.

References

• International Colored Gemstone Association: Beryls