Beryl
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2008-06-10T13:51:30Z
AlleborgoBot
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robot Adding: [[la:Beryllus]] [r5545]
{{otheruses}}
{{redirect|Beril|a character of [[Tolkien's legendarium]]|Beril (House of Bëor)}}
{{Mergefrom|Golden beryl|date=March 2008}}
{{Infobox mineral
| name = Beryl
| category = [[Silicate]] [[Mineral]] species
| boxwidth =
| boxbgcolor =
| image = beryl09.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Three varieties of beryl: morganite, aquamarine, and heliodor
| formula = Be<sub>3</sub>Al<sub>2</sub>(<nowiki>SiO</nowiki><sub>3</sub>)<sub>6</sub>
| molweight = 537.50 gm
| color = Green, Blue, Yellow, Colorless, Pink & others.
| habit = [[Massive]] to well [[Crystalline]]
| system = [[Hexagonal]] - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
| twinning =
| cleavage = Imperfect on the [0001]
| fracture = [[Conchoidal]]
| tenacity =
| mohs = 7.5-8
| luster = [[Vitreous]]
| polish =
| refractive =
| opticalprop = Uniaxial (-)
| birefringence = δ = 0.004 - 0.007
| dispersion =
| pleochroism =
| fluorescence= None (some fracture filling materials used to improve emerald's clarity do fluoresce, but the stone itself does not)
| absorption =
| streak = White
| gravity = Average 2.76
| density =
| melt =
| fusibility =
| diagnostic =
| solubility =
| diaphaneity = Transparent to opaque
| other =
| references =<ref name=Mindat>http://www.mindat.org/min-819.html Beryl: Beryl mineral information and data, Mindat</ref><ref name=Webmineral>http://www.webmineral.com/data/Beryl.shtml Webmineral Data</ref>
}}
The [[mineral]] '''beryl''' is a [[beryllium]] [[aluminium]] [[Silicate minerals#Cyclosilicates|cyclosilicate]] with the [[chemical formula]] Be<sub>3</sub>Al<sub>2</sub>(<nowiki>SiO</nowiki><sub>3</sub>)<sub>6</sub>. The [[hexagonal]] [[crystal]]s of beryl may be very small or range to several meters in size. Terminated crystals are relatively rare. Beryl exhibits [[conchoidal fracture]], has a [[Mohs scale of mineral hardness|hardness]] of 7.5–8, and a [[specific gravity]] of 2.63–2.80. It has a vitreous luster and can be transparent or translucent. Its cleavage is poor basal and its habit is dihexagonal bipyramidal. Pure beryl is colorless, but it is frequently tinted by impurities; possible colors are green, blue, yellow, red, and white. The name comes from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''beryllos'' which referred to a ''precious blue-green color of sea water'' stone.<ref name=Mindat/> The term was later adopted for the mineral beryl more exclusively.<ref name=Webmineral/>
==Varieties==
Varieties of beryl have been considered [[gemstone]]s since prehistoric times. Recognized for its beauty, in the [[Bible]], in [[Ezekiel]] 1:16, the wheels of God's throne are described as having the appearance of "gleaming beryl."
''Colorless beryl'' is called [[goshenite]], ''pink'' beryl is [[morganite]], ''red'' beryl is [[bixbite]] or "red emerald" or "scarlet emerald," clear ''bright yellow'' beryl is "[[golden beryl]]," ''yellow-green'' beryl is [[heliodor]], ''green'' beryl is [[emerald]], ''blue'' beryl is [[aquamarine]], and ''deep blue'' beryl is [[Maxixe (Gemstone)|maxixe]]. Red beryl is extremely rare and is not used in jewelry as the crystals it forms are very small; it is mined primarily in [[Utah]]. Blue beryl (aquamarine) will not fade in color when exposed to sunlight. Maxixe is a deep blue stone that fades to white when exposed to sunlight or is subjected to heat treatment, though the color returns with irradiation. Other, unnamed shades such as honey yellow are also known.
== Deposits ==
Beryl of various colors is found most commonly in [[granite|granitic]] [[pegmatite]]s, but also occurs in [[mica]] [[schist]]s in the [[Urals|Ural Mountains]], and [[limestone]] in [[Colombia]]. Beryl is often associated with [[tin]] and [[tungsten]] ore bodies. Beryl is found in [[Europe]] in [[Austria]], [[Germany]], and [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], as well as [[Brazil]], [[Colombia]], [[Madagascar]] (especially morganite), [[Russia]], [[South Africa]], the [[United States]], and [[Zambia]]. U.S. beryl locations are in [[California]], [[Colorado]], [[Idaho]], [[New Hampshire]], [[North Carolina]], [[South Dakota]], and [[Utah]].
The most famous source of emeralds in the world is at Muzo and Chivor, [[Boyacá Department|Boyacá]], Colombia, where they make a unique appearance in limestone. Emeralds are also found in the [[Transvaal]], South Africa; [[Minas Gerais]], Brazil; [[Zambia]], and near [[Mursinka]] in the [[Urals]] in Russia. In the [[United States]], emeralds are found in North Carolina.
[[New England]]'s [[pegmatites]] have produced some of the largest beryls found, including one massive crystal with dimensions 5.5 m by 1.2 m (18 ft by 4 ft) with a mass of around 18 [[Tonne|metric tons]]; it is New Hampshire's state mineral. As of 1999, the largest known crystal of any mineral in the world is a crystal of beryl from Madagascar, 18 metres long and 3.5 metres in diameter.<ref>G. Cressey and I. F. Mercer, ''Crystals'', London, Natural History Museum, 1999</ref>
== Applications ==
Massive beryl is a primary [[ore]] of the metal [[beryllium]].
The [[druids]] used beryl for [[scrying]],{{Fact|date=March 2007}} while the Scottish called them “stones of power”.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} The earliest crystal balls were made from beryl,{{Fact|date=March 2007}} later being replaced by [[Quartz#Varieties|rock crystal]].{{Fact|date=March 2007}}
<gallery>
Image:Emerald rough 300x422.jpg|Beryl var. [[emerald]]
Image:BeriloEZ.jpg|Beryl var. aquamarine, [[Brazil]]
Image:Beryl made in Tajikistan.jpg|Synthetic beryl made in [[Tajikistan]]
Image:Pierre-img 0591.jpg|Heliodor
Image:Morganite (Brésil).jpg|Morganite crystal
Image:Pinkmorganite.jpg|A 9.76-carat faceted morganite
Image:Emerald specimen with matrix.jpg|Emerald with host rock
Image:Bixbite.gif|Beryl var. bixbite
</gallery>
== References ==
<references/>
* Sinkankas, John, 1994, ''Emerald & Other Beryls'', Geoscience Press, ISBN 0-8019-7114-4
* Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, ''Manual of Mineralogy'', 20th ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York ISBN 0-471-80580-7
* [http://www.minerals.net/mineral/silicate/cyclo/beryl/beryl.htm Minerals.net]
* [http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/beryl/beryl.htm Mineral Galleries]
== See also ==
{{Commonscat|Beryl}}
{{Wiktionarypar|beryl}}
* [[List of minerals]]
[[Category:Gemstones]]
[[Category:Beryllium minerals]]
[[Category:Aluminium minerals]]
[[Category:Cyclosilicates]]
[[bs:Beril]]
[[bg:Берил]]
[[cs:Beryl]]
[[de:Beryll]]
[[es:Berilo]]
[[eu:Berilo]]
[[fr:Béryl]]
[[gl:Berilo]]
[[hr:Beril]]
[[bpy:বেরিলো]]
[[it:Berillo]]
[[he:בריל]]
[[la:Beryllus]]
[[lv:Berils]]
[[lt:Berilas]]
[[hu:Berill]]
[[nl:Beryl]]
[[ja:緑柱石]]
[[nds:Beryll]]
[[pl:Beryl (minerał)]]
[[pt:Berilo]]
[[ro:Beril]]
[[ru:Берилл]]
[[simple:Beryl]]
[[sk:Beryl]]
[[sr:Берил]]
[[fi:Berylli]]
[[sv:Beryll]]
[[tr:Beril]]
[[uk:Берил]]
[[wo:Beril]]
[[zh:綠柱石]]