Aquamarine is the blue to blue-green gem variety of the mineral Beryl, prized for its clarity and resemblance to sea water. It typically forms as elongated, hexagonal prismatic crystals in pegmatites and is often found in gem-quality, clean specimens.
Is this aquamarine?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch aquamarine with a known reference. Aquamarine sits at Mohs 7.5-8 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Aquamarine leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Aquamarine typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, blue-green, green-blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: prismatic crystals.
Often confused with
Aquamarine vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside aquamarine
Minerals reported to co-occur with aquamarine. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
- Mohs hardness
- 7.5-8
- Density
- 2.67-2.78 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals
- Cleavage
- Poor
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $10-100 per carat for average stones, significantly higher for top-quality deep blue specimens.
Where rockhounds find aquamarine
48 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Pakistan
- Madagascar
- Nigeria
- Afghanistan
- USA
U.S. states with aquamarine
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce aquamarine.
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country — that is the host setting where aquamarine typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, microcline, muscovite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in North Carolina, Connecticut, Georgia — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify aquamarine?+
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Can I find aquamarine in the United States?+
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Find aquamarine on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
