Chrysoberyl is a hard and durable beryllium aluminate known for its high refractive index and distinct pseudo-hexagonal cyclic twinning. Collectors look for its exceptional hardness, often finding it as water-worn pebbles in alluvial gravels or as sharp, well-formed crystals in pegmatites.
Is this chrysoberyl?
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 chrysoberyl with a known reference. Chrysoberyl sits at Mohs 8.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Chrysoberyl leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Chrysoberyl typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, yellow-green, brown, green, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, twinned pseudo-hexagonal crystals.
Often confused with
Chrysoberyl vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside chrysoberyl
Minerals reported to co-occur with chrysoberyl. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- BeAl₂O₄
- Mohs hardness
- 8.5
- Density
- 3.7-3.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Twinned Pseudo-hexagonal Crystals
- Cleavage
- Distinct On {110}, Poor On {010}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites, Mica Schists, Alluvial Deposits
- Typical price
- $20-200 per gram for rough, high-end faceted gems can reach thousands per carat
Where rockhounds find chrysoberyl
4 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Sri Lanka
- Russia
- Myanmar
- Madagascar
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites, mica schists, alluvial deposits country, the host setting where chrysoberyl typically forms. If you start seeing beryl, quartz, muscovite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, twinned pseudo-hexagonal crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Maine, Colorado, Connecticut. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify chrysoberyl?+
Where is chrysoberyl found?+
Can I find chrysoberyl in the United States?+
How much is chrysoberyl worth?+
What rocks look like chrysoberyl?+
What minerals are found with chrysoberyl?+
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Find chrysoberyl on the map
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