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 — that is 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?+
What kind of rock does chrysoberyl form in?+
What is chrysoberyl used for?+
Find chrysoberyl on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
