Pink beryl, most commonly known as morganite, is a prized gemstone variety distinguished by its delicate pastel pink to salmon coloration. It often forms in large, well-defined hexagonal prisms within granite pegmatites and is sought after by collectors and jewelers for its clarity and soft color.
Is this pink 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 pink beryl with a known reference. Pink 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. Pink Beryl leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Pink Beryl typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, peach, magenta, salmon.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: prismatic crystals.
Often confused with
Pink Beryl vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside pink beryl
Minerals reported to co-occur with pink 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
- 2.71-2.90 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals
- Cleavage
- Imperfect Basal
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $50-500 per carat for gem quality
Where rockhounds find pink beryl
Classic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Madagascar
- Afghanistan
- USA
- Pakistan
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country, the host setting where pink beryl typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, microcline, albite 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.
More pink beryl photos
Common questions
How do you identify pink beryl?+
Where is pink beryl found?+
How much is pink beryl worth?+
What rocks look like pink beryl?+
What minerals are found with pink beryl?+
What kind of rock does pink beryl form in?+
What is pink beryl used for?+
Find pink beryl on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
