Blue Beryl, widely known as Aquamarine, is a prized gemstone variety recognized by its distinct sea-blue to blue-green hues. It typically forms as long, hexagonal prismatic crystals within granitic pegmatites and is favored by collectors for its excellent clarity and impressive color zoning.
Is this blue beryl?
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 blue beryl with a known reference. Blue Beryl 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. Blue Beryl leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Blue Beryl typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, blue-green, light blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: hexagonal prismatic crystals.
Often confused with
Blue Beryl vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside blue beryl
Minerals reported to co-occur with blue beryl. 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
- 2.68-2.74 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Hexagonal Prismatic Crystals
- Cleavage
- Imperfect Basal
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector, Jewelry
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $10-100 per gram for rough, $50-500+ per carat for fine gems
Where rockhounds find blue beryl
3 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Pakistan
- Madagascar
- Nigeria
- Russia
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country, the host setting where blue beryl typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, microcline, muscovite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a hexagonal prismatic crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in New Hampshire, North Carolina. Start trip planning there.
More blue beryl photos
Common questions
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Find blue beryl on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
