What kind of stone is beryl. Physical and chemical properties of beryl. Sizes and shapes

The name comes from the Greek "beryllos" - beryl; the name of the precious stones that the ancient Romans polished to obtain visual glasses; hence the German name for glasses (Brille)

The English name for the mineral is Beryl

Synonyms: Belir, veryllos (old Russian names), verliy; pseudo-emerald - pseudosmaragd - the name proposed by Berzellius for an altered mineral from Körarfvet, Falun, Sweden (according to Dana).

Blue beryl. Sherlova Gora deposit. Transbaikalia

Crystallographic characteristic

Syngony. Hex L 6 6L 2 7PC.

Symmetry class. Dihexagonal bipyramidal - 6/mmm. Axis ratio. c/a=0.4989.

Crystal structure

A characteristic element of the structure are rings of six silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, which are arranged parallel (0001) one above the other at a distance of s/2 and rotated relative to each other around the L 6 axis by 25°. The centers of the rings are located on the gear axis, due to which the structure has channels with a diameter of 2.5 to 5 A. The rings are held together by octahedrons, each of which has Al atoms in the center, and somewhat distorted tetrahedra with Be in the center. The Al and Be atoms are located at the 3c/4 and c/4 levels, respectively, and closely bind the ring radicals into a common strong backbone.

The channels in the beryl structure are often filled with alkali metal ions (except for Li). There are two main orientational types of water, directly dependent on the content of large compensator ions. Water molecules are located in the center of the channels and directly interact with their protons with unsaturated anions of the silicon oxygen radical, which, along with the entry into the Cs, Rb, K, Na channels, leads to the restoration of the electrostatic balance of the structure. The reason for the deficit of positive charges may be the replacement of beryllium with lithium and aluminum with magnesium and iron. In addition, the channels contain inert gases. The value of c0 depends on the manifestation of isomorphic substitutions in Be-tetrahedra, and 0 - on the average radius of octahedral cations. The entry into the beryl lattice of alkalis (mainly Li), according to Sosedko and Frank-Kamenetsky, causes a change in the parameters of its cell; while c0 changes more than a 0 .

Form of being in nature

Crystal Shape. The crystals are mostly prismatic, hexagonal in cross section. The faces of the prism (1010) and the pinacoid (0001) are most often developed; the faces of the dipyramids (1011) and (1121) are much rarer. There are pyramidal crystals, expanded from one

nca and narrowed to another, cone-shaped, fusiform. The shape of the crystals varies depending on the chemical composition of the mineral and on the conditions of its formation. Long-prismatic crystals are most characteristic of non-alkaline, and short-prismatic - for alkaline varieties. Cone-shaped, thick prismatic crystals, as well as crystals with a very short prism, are characteristic of pegmatite veins. Long prismatic to acicular are more typical of hydrothermal deposits; fine-grained aggregates, skeletal and sheath-shaped crystals - for metasomatic formations. The cross-sectional shape of a prismatic beryl crystal can change from one end to the other. The faces of the prism of alkali-free varieties usually have a coarse vertical shading; alkaline varieties have no hatching on the faces of prisms, they are smooth and shiny. Forms of growth on the faces of prisms (1010) are represented by protrusion strokes of different widths and thicknesses and hexagonal layered protrusions with uneven contours; dislocation growth structures are also noted.

According to the nature of the development, the figures of natural etching and dissolution on the faces of beryl crystals of different genetic types are not equivalent. In beryls from pegmatite burrows on the (0001) faces, these are pyramidal and dipyramidal depressions, in plan having the shape of a hexagon, rhombus, trapezoid or triangle. On the faces of the prisms, only pyramidal depressions are noted. Figures of more intense etching-dissolution on the faces of prisms represent rectangular depressions; the surfaces of the faces bear a tiled columnar pattern, the edges of the prisms are rounded, the crystals become curved spear-shaped, and then fusiform or needle-shaped. Partial dissolution of crystals leads to the appearance of peculiar cone-shaped formations (funnel) with different angles of inclination relative to the axes and up to 70°. Dissolution channels with a five-sided mouth are also described. There are also fine-fibered crystals, abounding with longitudinal vertical channels with a cross section of 0.12-0.004 mm or less and 2-10-5 cm.

The nature of the microrelief of beryl may reflect the conditions of its formation and be a typomorphic feature. With the help of micromorphological studies, for example, the metasomatic genesis of emerald in mica and other reactionary rocks has been proved. In addition, the micromorphological study of beryls is of practical importance, which makes it possible to distinguish between natural precious beryls from artificial ones.

Beryl crystals sometimes reach very large sizes. So, in Brazil, on the river. Mukuri, near Marambaya, on March 28, 1910, a greenish-blue broken crystal was found measuring 48.3 cm in length and 41 cm in diameter, weighing 110.2 kg. This crystal was completely transparent. Later, a crystal ‘22 X14 cm, weighing 5.4 kg was found here. Academician A.E. Fersman pointed out that in the pegmatite veins of the state of Connecticut (USA), beryls 67 g feet (about 2 m) long were described, and in the province of Galicia in Spain, jambs for doors were made from beryl crystals. In Madagascar, pink morganites were found, from which faceted stones weighing over 500 carats were obtained.

Beryl twins

Twins are rare and poorly understood. A twin according to (4041) is known, as well as twins of germination along (3141) with an angle of about 47° between the axes L 6 of both individuals and along (1121) with mutually perpendicular prisms of both crystals. Abnormally biaxial beryls are pseudomonoclinic, sometimes considered as the result of twinning of three or six rhombic individuals like aragonite (Vinchel, 1953). Regular intergrowths with quartz are noted.

Physical properties

Optical

Snow white, greenish, greenish white, yellow, yellowish green, light blue, dark blue, greenish blue (aquamarine), cobalt blue (mahihe-beryl), bright green, emerald green (emerald), golden ( heliodor), pink (rosterite), colorless, smoky, dark brown, crimson, orange, crimson red. Sodium and lithium-sodium beryls are usually light greenish or white. As the lithium content increases, the color brightens, a barely noticeable pinkish tint appears; with increasing cesium content, beryls become pale pink, pink, hot pink, carnation red.
The color of yellow, blue and green varieties is presumably due to the quantitative ratios of Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ , which replace Al. green coloring emerald is caused by Cr 3+ , V, Fe. According to Borovik, an increased content of Sc increases the color intensity of aquamarine. Crimson due to Mn. Smoky coloration is caused by prolonged exposure to radioactive radiation. The dark brown color may be due to inclusions of rutile and muscovite. The blue color of mahihe-beryls from Brazil, which disappears when they are heated and exposed to sunlight, is due to defects crystal lattice. The pink coloration is also caused by lattice defects associated with high alkali content, especially Cs and Li. Prolonged exposure to X-rays of pale blue beryl changes its color to green, colorless. beryl under this irradiation becomes pale brown.
Known crystals with a zonal color distribution both across and along the axis L 6 . The appearance of a banded (transverse) color, as shown by Matveev's studies, is not associated with a change in the composition of beryl; it manifests itself in the form of thin stripes parallel to the basis with different shades of the same color, but of different intensity or with slightly different shades.

• The feature is missing. The powder is white.
• Glass luster.
• Ebb to oily (resinous). An iridescent sheen is observed (" cat eye”) and asterism due to the oriented arrangement of inclusions of rutile, muscovite, ilmenite, tabular pyrrhotite, quartz, epidote, apatite, pyrite.
• Transparency. Transparent, translucent to opaque.

Mechanical

• Hardness 7.5-8. Transparent beryls, regardless of composition and color, have greater hardness than translucent and opaque, which is explained by the abundance of solid and gas-liquid inclusions in the latter.
• Density from 2.6 to 2.9. There is a direct relationship between density and alkali content and with changes in light refraction. Density also depends on the presence of gas-liquid inclusions
• Cleavage according to (0001) imperfect to perfect (possibly corresponding separately), according to (1010) imperfect.
• The fracture is conchoidal and uneven.

Chemical properties

Acids, with the exception of hydrofluoric, do not work. With borax gives a transparent colorless glass; emerald - pale green pearl (chromium). For quick diagnosis, a reaction with quinalizarin is used (the surface of beryl crystals turns blue).

Beryl - diagnostic features

similar minerals. Apatite, topaz, tourmaline, quartz, chrysoberyl, prehnite, fluorite.

Macroscopically differs from apatite in greater hardness, under the microscope - more low scores refraction. Beryl in the form of white granular aggregates differs from fine-grained albite in the absence of cleavage, translucency of grains, and a characteristic greasy luster. Beryl differs from topaz by the absence of perfect cleavage, from tourmaline - in most cases by color, hexagonal cross section, under a microscope - by low birefringence. It differs from similar segregations of milarite and quartz by higher refractive indices, and from quartz by higher density and optical sign. Natural crystals differ from artificially grown microsculpture facets, the composition of mineral inclusions, etc.

Associated minerals. Feldspar, biotite, muscovite, quartz, topaz, tourmaline, cassiterite, etc.

Mineral change

Under the action of hydrothermal solutions, it corrodes, dissolves, redeposits and is replaced by other minerals. “Semi-dissolved crystals” are described, which are fragile intergrowths of thin skeletal needles (remains from the dissolution big crystal) and "sucked" crystals with cone-shaped etching figures. There are cavities in quartz that have arisen due to the complete leaching of beryl. In some voids among the aggregates of clevelandite, acicular relict beryl crystals are covered with herderite crystals. The dissolution of beryl occurs presumably when it is exposed to fluorine or alkaline solutions. The substitution of beryl individuals by pairs of minerals was noted: albite and phenakite, phenakite and muscovite (or chlorite), phenakite and microcline, phenakite and orthoclase, bertrandite and muscovite. In the Yveland deposit (Norway), beryl is replaced by bertrandite, muscovite, and euclase. In Alto do Guise (Brazil), beryl pseudomorphs of hydrothermal kaolinite were found. In Vezhna (Czech Republic), milarite or milarite with epididymite, as well as bavenite or bavenite, and bertrandite are developed after beryl. Pseudomorphoses after beryl of bavenite and beryllium-containing microcline are known.
In experimental studies in various fluoride, fluoride-carbonate hydrothermal systems, the dissolution of beryl is accompanied by the formation of quartz, bertrandite, and albite. In fluorine-carbonate-boron solutions at 500°, beryl dissolves and is replaced by chiolite, cryolite, topaz, phenakite, beryllium phase "X". In alkaline boron solutions, beryl decomposes with the formation of albite and bromellite; according to Emelyanova et al., under comparable conditions, beryl is replaced by albite, nepheline, and cancrinite.

When beryl is exposed to NaOH solutions of different concentrations, the predominant newly formed phase is chkalovite, the secondary products include bertrandite, bavenite, milarite, cancrinite, trimerite, albite, cristobalite, phenakite, bromellite, chalcedony. Beryl is stable in the zone of hypergenesis.

Practical use

The ore of one of the lightest metals is beryllium, which is significantly lighter than aluminum; finds versatile application as an alloying metal (beryllium steel, material for spacecraft). Transparent color differences, emerald green and pink, are used as gemstones.

Beryl is one of the best gems. It has crystals that resemble a prism in shape. Beryl stone is distinguished by a variety of colors and purity. Photos of beautiful minerals will allow you to choose the right copy.

There are references to this stone in ancient manuscripts. Archaeologists still find amulets, rings, beads and talismans from a similar mineral. Unique properties make beryl one of the best jewelry.

An excursion into the history of a unique stone

Beryl has been known since before our era. The name of the stone was given by the ancient Greeks. In ancient Egypt, valuable minerals were mined in the desert of Namibia. The resulting raw materials were sent to Persia and India.

In nature, beryls are born in pegmatite veins and in places of mountain destruction, in placers.

In Russia, during the reign of Peter I, the Urals were considered a storehouse of gems. On its territory in the 19th century, yellow beryl was found, which had a weight of 2.5 kg. It is still kept in St. Petersburg in the Museum of the Mining Institute.

This stone became especially popular in the Middle Ages. It was used to decorate various church items. Beryl was also used to create seals, pendants and rings. Optical glasses were produced from the colorless mineral.

Interesting! The sizes of minerals can be different: from small to huge.The largest finds include an 18-meter stone weighing 380 tons, which was found in Madagascar.

Beryl properties

Beryl stone is of extraordinary value. The photo shows different variants. special attention deserve the properties and meaning of this stone.

This stone characterized by the following properties:

• Fragility, as it is easy to split.
• Aesthetics and glass brilliance.
• Acid resistant.

Beryl is used to create pendants, bracelets, rings and earrings. There are many antiques from similar stone: necklace, brooches and tiaras.

Interesting! Transparent types of stone have high light refraction rates. This stone looks like real diamond and only a specialist will see the difference.

How to care for a stone?

Jewelry with proper care can last a long time. They can be inherited, serve as talismans and be a family keepsake.

Beryl is brittle and does not need to be dropped or hit.

gentle care requires knowledge of the following rules:

• Beryl is fragile, so it does not need to be dropped or hit.
• If the stone is framed in gold that has lost its luster, then you need to wash the product with a neutral solution. For this, a composition is prepared from water and ammonia in a ratio of 1 to 10. Soap is added to the mixture, which does not contain dyes.
• Silverware can be cleaned with dry baking soda powder. After cleansing, the jewelry is rinsed in warm water.

The stone is best stored in a closed case and wrapped in cloth. You need to clean the mineral no more than once a month with a brush and warm water. After the procedure, the product should be wiped dry with a towel.

How to distinguish a fake?

Jewelers and other gemstone specialists have no difficulty in determining the authenticity of a stone. The natural mineral has inclusions that are characteristic of this variety. If a stone looks completely clean under a microscope, then it is unlikely to be natural.

If a stone looks completely clean under a microscope, then it is unlikely to be natural.

Real beryl has the following features:

• Transparency with a characteristic luster.
• Transparent minerals are less susceptible to discoloration.
• Various natural inclusions are found in crystals.
• Beryls after cutting are subject to refraction of light rays, which make it possible to achieve the effect of a cat's eye.

Interesting!There have been many attempts to obtain artificial beryl in the laboratory. In the 1960s, complex beryl with a synthetic coating was obtained in Austria using the hydrothermal method. In the 90s, artificial pink beryl was created, but it differs from natural stone in the content of titanium.

Beryls are created by nature to bring beauty and harmony. Some gemstones have a positive effect on a person's health and mood.

Beryl stone is the common name for a whole group of precious and semi-precious stones used in the jewelry industry. This name is used in two meanings: in the first it is the designation of a class of gems of the same origin and related chemical composition, in the second - the name of a specific natural stone of yellow-golden color.

History and origins

The mineral beryl is one of those that caused difficulty in recognition for people of antiquity. In the Middle East, in the cradle of Western civilization, it has been known for a very long time - about 6 thousand years. The tombs of some Egyptian pharaohs were decorated with beryl products from the inside. It is believed that the ancient Egyptians mined some varieties of beryl, such as yellow beryl, but the location of the mines is now forgotten. Modern African deposits of this stone for residents ancient egypt would be inaccessible due to territorial remoteness. They are in South Africa.

Popular rumor connects the beryl mines with Queen Cleopatra, but the details have not reached us.

This stone was also known in ancient, pre-Aryan India. The modern name "beryl" is erected by most scientists to the Dravidian language and identified with the Indian city of Belur. From the Dravidian language, it passed into Sanskrit, and from there into the languages ​​​​of the Indo-Aryan group, common in Europe. The name of the stone acquired the form beryllus in Greek, from there it migrated to Latin. It literally means "expensive blue-green stone." From the Latin language, the word got into the later Romance, and from them - in particular, into the Russian language. Interestingly, "beryl" and "diamond" are related words, coming from the same root, meaning "to shine, brilliant."

The ancient Greeks and Egyptians called "beryllos" any transparent hard stone of a greenish or blue color. Not being able to establish the exact physical Chemical properties stone, they could call green stones both beryl and chrysolite, although in fact they could be specimens, for example, chrysoprase. Transparent types of beryl were identified with quartz and so on.

Beryl (it is not known what variety) was one of the stones with which the breastplate of the Jewish high priest was decorated.

Currently, jewelers call beryl only yellow or golden transparent crystals of a certain chemical composition. There is also base beryl, it is a raw material for obtaining beryllium metal, the price of which is high.

Noble beryl is a gemstone of the I group of the II order according to the classification of Fersman - Bauer. Considered a gem. The cost of yellow beryl is only slightly lower than that of emerald, its relative. Some subspecies of this mineral are so rare that they exceed the price of diamonds.

Physicochemical characteristics

Without exception, all minerals of the beryllium group are a complex compound of beryllium oxide, aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide with a percentage predominance of the latter. As impurities, they may contain iron, manganese, in small quantities - uranium and other metals, which act as chromatophores that provide the color of the stone.

This is a hard gem - from 7.5 to 8 units on the Mohs scale. It is on the same level as topaz, second only to diamond - 10 units, and corundum - 9. Luster - glass. Noble beryl is characterized by transparency, industrial - opaque, has a white or grayish color.

Resistant to caustic acids and alkalis. Melts at very high temperatures.

Mining sites

Beryl deposits are found in pegmatite rocks, in particular granites, as well as in rocks containing quartz, its derivatives and mica. This mineral often accompanies rock crystal, morion, topaz and feldspars.

The jewelry variety of beryl is mined in Russia on the Ilmensky Range (part of the Urals, near Miass), in the Murzinka and Shaitanka deposits, in the emerald mines of the Tokovaya River, and also in pegmatites of the eastern part of the Kola Peninsula. In other countries, mining is carried out: in India - the district of Coimbatore, in Brazil - Minas Gerais, in Colombia. On the African continent, there are deposits in the South African states of Mozambique and Namibia. Some particularly rare varieties have been mined in the United States of America, but have now ceased to be mined.

Industrial beryl is mined in France, Germany, Sweden and Ukraine.

In nature, there are both individual crystals and druses of this stone. They can reach large sizes. It is theoretically possible to detect a crystal weighing several kilograms, although the probability of this is extremely small.

Varieties and colors

Exists a large number of colors and shades of beryl, many of which have their own names and are considered separate gems. The most famous of them:

1. Emerald. Precious stone of the 1st order, equal in class to diamond, blue sapphire and alexandrite. Intense green color, the shade of the stone can be from grassy to light green. The brighter the copy, the more expensive it is.

   
   Emerald

2. Aquamarine - transparent, bluish-blue, like the southern sky. Shades of green are possible. A precious stone of the II order, comparable in value to topaz, noble opal and zircon.

   
   

3. Noble beryl, it is also light green, yellowish or colorless, slightly colored. II order in value.

   
   

4. Sparrow, aka morganite - pink or reddish, sometimes red-orange.

   
   

5. Heliodor - golden.

   
   

6. Bixbit - "red emerald". Extremely rare, the price is set individually for each processed copy.

   
   "Red Emerald"

7. Augustite, he is maxis - dark blue. Rare.

   
   

8. Bazzite - light blue.

   
   

9. Goshenite is transparent, colorless.

   
   

The rarest are red and pink beryls. Bixbite, for example, was found only in one place on the planet, located in the United States. Now this mine is flooded, and the extraction of the "red emerald" has been stopped. About 3,500 faceted bixbeats have survived, each of which is literally priceless - you can’t set a market price for it, you can only sell it at auction. All bixbeats are kept either in museums or by private collectors.

Blue stones are also subject to individual evaluation.

The average cost of an emerald (depending on quality) is up to $8,000, aquamarine and chrysoberyl - $1,500–2,500, heliodor costs $800 per carat. But the price fluctuates depending on market conditions.

Fake diamond

During the 20th century, in different countries of Europe, as well as in the USSR, they repeatedly tried to synthesize beryl, but did not achieve much success. The synthetic crystals obtained as a result of the experiments differed from natural stone either in physical properties- hardness, refractive indices of light, density - either according to chemical composition. Composites obtained in 1960 in Austria had the greatest similarity with true beryl. They had a base of ordinary transparent beryl, on which layers of synthetic emerald were built up.

On this moment there are no synthetic gems of this group that can deceive a professional jeweler. But research and experimentation in this area continues.

Medicinal properties

Please note: hereinafter, we will mean ordinary noble beryl - a golden-greenish, fairly common subspecies of the mineral. The point is that healing magical properties different beryls differ, and each species should be considered from the point of view of lithotherapy, magic and astrology as an independent mineral.

This gem has the following meaning for a person: it affects the heart chakra and the solar plexus chakra. This means the impact primarily on the organs located in chest and at the top abdominal cavity. Among them:

• lungs;
• heart;
• organs of the digestive system - esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen.

A greenish-yellow stone will relieve you of colds, inflammation of the bronchi and lungs, help calm the heart during arrhythmia, and normalize blood pressure. He will make sure that the organs of the gastrointestinal tract are in order, put metabolic processes (metabolism) in order, and alleviate pain in the thoracic spine.

There is evidence that beryl is useful for women with various gynecological pathologies. The energy of the stone is a receptive yin, just female.

magical properties

The main magical property of the stone is to ensure the outflow of negative energy from the human body and attract positive energy. Beryl plays the role of a kind of energy pump combined with a filter, so its magic sharpens the mind, gives clarity to consciousness and relieves chronic fatigue syndrome.

Beryl is suitable for people who are actively engaged in mental work. It will help them not to burn out, will give strength to complete all the tasks on time, while avoiding mistakes. Beryl jewelry can be used as a good luck charm for prosecutors and lawyers, as well as employees of the legal departments of large corporations who often have to represent their companies in court, as this gem brings good luck in litigation.

Products from this stone are good amulets for the home and family hearth. They keep the family from any internal problems- scandals, betrayals, mutual misunderstanding.

Zodiac Compatibility

Golden beryl belongs to the element of Air and is associated with Gemini according to the sign of the zodiac. Amulets and talismans with it can be worn by Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer.

The stone will not fit the fire and earth signs according to the horoscope, especially Virgo, Aries and Leo.

Zodiac sign	Compatibility
Aries	-
Taurus	+
Capricorn	+
Cancer	+++
a lion	-
Virgo	-
Scales	+
Scorpion	+
Sagittarius	+
Capricorn	-
Aquarius	+
Fish	+++

(“+++” - fits perfectly, “+” - can be worn, “-” - categorically contraindicated)

Compatibility with other stones

Since this is a stone of Air, the optimal neighbors for it are one-elemental ones. These include:

• all relatives of beryl, except emerald and heliodor;
• demantoid;
• uvarovite;
• rhinestone;
• rauchtopaz (except morion);
• citrine;
• blue chalcedony;
• amethyst;
• tourmaline;
• topaz.

The stone goes well with Fire, to which its subspecies belongs - heliodor, as well as garnets, rubies and diamonds. In relation to the Earth - and these are all opaque stones, such as jasper, turquoise, malachite, chalcedony, jadeite, obsidian and others - beryl is neutral.

But you should not combine it with "water" counterparts - emerald and aquamarine, as well as with any other Water stones:

• noble opal;
• moonstone;
• pearls;
• alexandrite;
• euclase.

He does not like the company of sapphire either.

Application area

All subspecies of noble beryl are used for inserts into jewelry made of precious metals - silver, gold, platinum. The choice of a specific metal depends on the stone - emeralds are set in gold, aquamarines look good in silver.

Here the rule applies: the more expensive the stone itself, the more expensive metal frames. The emerald is the most popular - any jewelry is produced with it.

Golden beryl is used for inlaid luxury items: church utensils, expensive wall decorations and so on. Small figurines are cut out of large crystals - up to chess pieces.

How to recognize a fake

Despite the fact that there are no officially synthetic beryls on the market, their similarities can be grown in laboratories. With a high degree of probability, it is possible to distinguish a fake only with the help of a professional jeweler or an employee of the assay office who has special tools.

On your own in a store, you can only identify the simplest fake made of glass or cheap stone covered with a colored film. Beryl is harder than glass and can scratch it. If you buy a crystal without a frame, then look at it with a magnifying glass: if there are even the slightest defects - cracks, chips, air bubbles - then the gem is real. Fakes are always perfect.

Ask the seller if it is possible to test the stone for hardness. If yes - this is already a sign of quality, if not - definitely a fake. If you suspect that the crystal is tinted with a bright film, carefully scratch it with the tip of a knife or key. You cannot scratch a real crystal of beryl, emerald, aquamarine in this way.

But to determine a fake made of expensive and cheap stone glued together (expensive from above) will be able only in the laboratory.

How to wear and care

There are no special rules for wearing and caring for this mineral. Beryl is durable, resistant to alkalis and acids. It can be washed with any means from the arsenal of household chemicals, except for the most caustic ones. A 10% ammonia solution is recommended.

Store jewelry with a stone separately from the rest, in individual packaging. While wearing, you should only avoid strong blows, as the stone is fragile and can crack.

Time to buy

The best time to purchase beryl, according to the "calendar of stones" of the German Archbishop Marbrod of the Rhine, is the middle and end of autumn - October and November.

At this moment, the so-called “break of the year” falls, during which beryl receives a special power.

Foreword

The collection of different types of stones, united by the single name "beryl", has been known to mankind since antiquity. They have long conquered the hearts of the first beauties of the world who want to become the owners of such a gem, jewelry with it.

The collection of different types of stones, united by the single name "beryl", has been known to mankind since antiquity. They have long conquered the hearts of the first beauties of the world who want to become the owners of such a gem, jewelry with it. It has become no less desirable for private collections of lovers of various valuable minerals. Differing in color, but having similar physical and chemical features, these crystals have become very popular, in demand, and, as a result, quite expensive. They are often used in the jewelry industry, bringing excellent income to craftsmen and great pleasure to their owners.

Beryl stone: origin of the name and characteristics

Finding out the meaning, the origin of the name of the stone beryl, it is worth paying attention that the word "beryl" comes from the distorted Greek "virillos", which means "precious greenish-blue crystal". True, it remains unknown how this word got into Greek language. According to K.P. Patkanov, the Persian words "bilor" or "bulur", which means "rock crystal", could be borrowed by the Arabs, after which the Greeks borrowed the name of the stone from the Arabs. In Rus', this gem had several names: shfel, virnlion, verios.

Despite the fact that the gem has been known to various peoples since ancient times, there has been a change in opinion about it from time to time. For example, among the ancient Greeks, only a crystal of a pale greenish hue, slightly less valuable than an emerald, was considered beryl.

Precious varieties of beryl stone: groups of minerals

To date, there are about 10 popular and not very varieties beautiful stone beryl, which include:

Green emerald.

Pink morganite.

Red bixbit

Raspberry pezzotaite.

Yellow heliodor.

Blue-green aquamarine.

Colorless goshenite.

Nowadays, beryl is not a separate specific stone, but a whole group of gems, including also:

Bazzite(dim blue crystal containing scandium and not used in jewelry).

Augustite(a blue mineral that tends to fade over time).

Mashish(a stone of saturated blue tones, but quickly fading, therefore it is not in demand, it is of little value and is almost never mined).

They differ in color, transparency, interest in them on jewelry market, cost equivalent.

Take a look, below are photos of a beryl stone, and short descriptions each of its types.

Beryl deposits different colors are located in Brazil, Mozambique, USA, Russia, Kazakhstan, and also in Madagascar. In Russia, Brazil, Pakistan, as well as on the African and Australian continents, beautiful transparent greenish crystals are found. Occasionally, they reflect blue or turquoise. The color range of minerals is due to the presence of impurities of chromium and vanadium. At the same time, the gems found in Brazil are paler and more fragile than the African finds. But the most beautiful are the crystals brought from South America. In addition, they are incredibly large compared to other emeralds. Such gems igneous origin are called emeralds and are precious stones from varieties of beryl.

No less magnificent than emerald is the beautiful transparent type of beryl, which, due to impurities of cesium, lithium and manganese, has a pinkish, peach, slightly purple hue called morganite. Those who decide to purchase jewelry with this gem should remember that cesium, which is part of it, is radioactive, so it is better to wear a stone in rings and bracelets. The crystal was first discovered in California, but today Madagascar and Brazilian minerals are considered the best. The weight of these stones is different: museums store specimens of about 600 and even more than 1600 carats, but in most cases they are mined much smaller (gems ​​weighing 25 carats are considered large).

Varieties of red beryl

Separately, two varieties of the red mineral beryl should be mentioned:

Bixbit.

Pezzotaite.

The first variety of this gem was discovered in 1897 by the American mineralogist Maynard Bixby in the USA. In honor of him, the stone was named "bixbit". Today, the extraction of these minerals is carried out only in small quantities in the United States (Utah, New Mexico). Many sellers call this amazing gem "red emerald". Its shades are rich crimson, strawberry tones. The stone is quite hard, but at the same time fragile. Today bixbit is considered the rarest jewelry stone on the ground.

The second variety of red beryl - crimson beryl - was found in the area of ​​Ambatovita (Madagascar) in November 2002. In September 2003, the new crimson beryl was named "pezzotaite" in honor of the discoverer of this stone, the Italian mineralogist Federico Pezzot. Since 2002, no more than 10 kilograms of pezzotaite have been mined, after which the deposit dried up. This entailed artificial creation crystals by hydrothermal and flux methods in the Russian Federation and Japan. Currently, only single specimens of pezzotaite are found in Madagascar. The gem received a thick crimson color due to the high content of cesium, which can be up to 15% in the mineral.

Transparent varieties of beryl: stones of yellow and blue colors

It is difficult to ignore the transparent yellow stone, another variety of beryl, heliodor (from the Greek "gift of the sun"). Its hue varies from golden yellow to almost brown, depending on the impurities that the mineral is rich in. Greenish tones will give it iron, and crystals containing uranium, when heated, acquire a delicate blue. And yet, the heliodors of yellowish colors are the most valuable, in demand. Initially, crystals were discovered in Namibia, but today its mining is carried out in Madagascar, in the USA (South Carolina), Sri Lanka, and the Russian Federation. The largest specimens of the yellow variety of beryl stone are found in Ukraine. Here, in Volyn, you can find crystals weighing even 100 carats. The most beautiful yellow gem, cut and enclosed in a gold or silver frame, rings, earrings, necklaces or bracelets are worn by all the world's beauties with pleasure.

Like drops of water frozen in ice crystals, the mineral aquamarine looks like. It would seem discreet, he won the hearts of many collectors and lovers fine jewelry. For representatives of aristocratic society, this blue variety of the mineral beryl has become a hallmark. They even encrusted the crown of British monarchs. At the same time, the color range of crystals is quite extensive. They come in the following shades:

Sky-water (British).

Greenish (South Ural).

Intense blue (South American).

Bluish (Middle Ural and Transbaikal).

The color of the gems is due to the high concentration of quartz in them (about 70%). Interestingly, the color of the stones changes after they are under bright sunlight. Minerals become yellowish, even brownish. It is also interesting that dichroism is inherent in aquamarine (a change in the color of a stone when viewed from different angles), which distinguishes the original aquamarine from quartz fakes.

The least expensive type is goshenite. It is a colorless, transparent variety of beryl stone, which is why it is often confused with topaz or crystal. But such restraint of the crystal attracts jewelers. Despite the fact that the gem does not emit glare, its transparency, delicate luster, and relatively low cost make it a common material for inlay. jewelry. Decorations with it look strictly, festively, beautifully. Goshenite is in demand among lovers of beautiful crystals, who often purchase it to replenish their private collections.

Beryl cost: stone price per carat

As for the cost different types beryls, then each variety is evaluated in its own way. The value of crystals depends on:

1. Mining sites.
2. belonging to one species or another.
3. Crystal color brightness.

Not less than important indicators that affect the value of minerals are the presence of a cut, the purpose for which they will be used, as well as their weight.

For example, augustite is offered at prices up to $150 per carat, and the most inexpensive in this group is goshenite. Complete absence coloration makes this stone unattractive for jewelers. Due to low demand, goshenite is quite difficult to find in cut form. Its price, as a rule, rarely exceeds $30 per carat.

The situation is completely different with the cost of such a variety of beryl stone as an emerald. At the same time, even on this species gems prices vary greatly. High-quality green beryl is called "emerald", while low-quality green beryl finds its way into the retail trade under the name "green beryl". Green beryl is incomparably cheaper than emerald, and the range of this difference can be enormous, from 2 to 2500 times.

According to the Russian standard TU 95 335-88, emerald, the color of which is weaker than 5 - “light green”, cannot be called “emerald” in trade - only “green beryl”. The best green beryls cost no more than $200 carats. If we consider the value of emeralds directly, then their cost is formed based on the quality of crystals, their purity, weight, combination colors. The price for this type of beryl stone varies between $350 - $8500 per carat. Moreover, the more massive the gem, the more expensive it is. It happens that weighty large crystals (from 5 carats) of excellent quality and color approach $15,000 per carat.

Morganite also belongs to expensive crystals. The price category of jewelry with it, depending on the mandrel and the presence of additional inlay with other types of gems, may vary. For example, for a silver pendant with morganite, topaz and pearls, the price is $120, and a gold bracelet with morganite and diamonds is about $6500.

Red beryl (bixbite) is extremely rare, and for this reason it is almost never used by jewelers in jewelry. The same factor influenced the fact that it became the most precious of all varieties of beryl. The price of a cut gem-quality bixbit exceeds $10,000 per carat. Mostly small stones less than 1 carat are available.

Collectible non-gem-quality pezzotaite crystals are relatively inexpensive - from $50 to $100 per stone. If we talk about cut gem-quality pezzotaites, they are extremely rare on sale, and their price can reach $2500-$8000 per carat.

Massive aquamarines weighing more than 10 carats, reeking of deep blue with a cost of about $300, became the most bought. If the stones are smaller, have green color, That price policy for this case will be about $20. Also, the naturalness of the mineral affects the value, as they say different kind bumps and inclusions, making it more expensive. And a perfectly flat surface without flaws, most likely, will indicate the artificial origin of the stone, making it cheaper.

Heliodor is also a precious type of beryl stone, the value of which is affected by the quality of the crystal, its transparency and purity. Gem oval shape weighing 6.5 carats is estimated at $650, and a processed crystal of 4.5 carats is $400. In a properly cut mineral, the radiance, beauty and grace of heliodor can be revealed, and products with such inlay will seem sparkling, deep, shining. Heliodor is often used by jewelers as the basis of a collection. The advantage of this gem is that time has no power over it - even after a year it will have a magnificent appearance.

The magical and astrological properties of beryl

Since ancient times, the properties and significance of different types of beryl stone have been known, due to which they were often used by magicians, amulets were made from them. For example, morganite is often used by mystics, people who want to comprehend the truth. It is also perfect for those who seek spiritual insight, the manifestation of talents. Aquamarine is believed to be able to feel the mood of its owner: when it is bad, the stone becomes greenish tones, and when it is good, the gem is transparent, heavenly tones. Beryl was considered the stone of philosophers, so it will be useful to all lovers of reflection. It is used to activate brain activity, consciousness clears up, develops intellectual ability person.

The magical properties of different types of beryl stone differ from each other. So, it is believed that aquamarine makes its owner bold, brave, protects against deceit, and goshenite helps to remain faithful in relationships, reveal the truth, catch lies. Heliodor endows with spiritual ease, positive, cheerful mood, can relieve depression and longing, as well as dispel nightmares. Going to rest, do not forget to wear just such an ornament, but wearing it daily can cause windiness, volatility, and frivolity. It is believed that morganite attracts good luck, protects from trouble.

In general, beryl stone exhibits such magical properties as:

1. Promotes mutual understanding of the couple.
2. Sets good relations in a family among all its members.

The crystal protects the house from negative influence guests or household members, quickly dispelling negativity, because it is reputed to be a symbol of peace and goodwill. In addition, beryl is a kind of guardian of the material and professional well-being of its owners. At financial difficulties you need to put on jewelry with beryl - and things will go up. The mineral will also help win the trial. And for a woman, this gem will become a source female happiness: the husband will be loving, faithful, the children will be respectful, and the girlfriends will be sincere.

Knowing the magical properties of beryl stone, you should find out who it suits. Each stone of this group has its own, pronounced astrological properties. For example, the emerald is the birthstone of the month of May. Most astrologers claim that the emerald will be a good talisman for Taurus, who will help to realize all his plans. Sagittarius, Cancer, he will help calm down. For Leo, Aquarius and Pisces, the gem will become an assistant in maintaining a warm relationship, family well-being, friendship, love. Adverse effects of jewelry with green stone Aries, Virgo, Libra and Capricorn. It is necessary to exclude contacts with the Scorpio emerald.

Aquamarine is a March gem, it is also suitable for representatives of the water element (Pisces, Crayfish, Scorpions). To the sign of the zodiac Libra, this type of beryl stone will give an opportunity to Once again show reasonableness, fairness and objectivity in the dispute that has arisen. But it should be avoided by Gemini and Sagittarius, to whom it can cause a lot of trouble and trouble. With Taurus, aquamarine is not able to reveal its positive properties, remaining just a beautiful decor.

Heliodor, morganite and goshenite are suitable for everyone, the signs of the Zodiac, and bixbit and pezzotaite are practically unknown to astrologers, since not many people managed to hold these stones in their hands. For Lviv and Pisces, heliodor will become a talisman against adversity, will give self-confidence, in Leo it will calm excessive rigidity, and Pisces will give positive attitude will help in communication. Morganite interacts well with Pisces, Cancers, Scorpions, it has a great effect on the representatives of the air element, becoming their engine, making them successful.

At the same time, it is believed that, in terms of its astrological properties, the beryl stone is most suitable for representatives of the zodiac signs Libra, Gemini and Scorpio. He will give active Gemini self-confidence, help solve the most difficult tasks, make it possible to achieve success and not quit halfway through what they started.

Sunny beryl will dispel longing, gloom, melancholy, pessimistic mood of Libra. It will eliminate depression, improved mood, received a charge of vivacity and a desire to conquer new heights. The gem will reduce the manifestation of such negative traits of Libra representatives as laziness, apathy, lack of will, self-doubt. In addition, he will help in negotiations, establish friendly relations. And for sharp Scorpios, the stone will become a real helper in getting rid of negative emotions, anger, anger. It will give you the opportunity to become friendlier, more caring, to show a strong will, spirit, to feel your importance and invincibility.

Choose for yourself the type of beryl you like, which will become an excellent talisman!

From the mines to the counter, the path of beryl is not easy ...

The collection of multi-colored beryl, even assembled from untreated fragments of the mineral, is amazing. The natural beauty of clear crystals is mesmerizing. And although it is always significant, every lover of semi-precious stone strives to buy beryl. Because even a diamond, recognized as the “king” of jewelry, is in many ways inferior to beryl.

Gem-quality beryls are rare. Known since antiquity, they are mined in a few deposits scattered around the world. With many difficulties, beryls are extracted from the darkness of the earth's interior, sometimes with incredible difficulties they get to connoisseurs.

Many of the stones are bought up dozens of times, settle in stone-cutting workshops for a long time, undergo serious changes in appearance (sometimes - filling), and only after long journeys through the secret world of human skill, diligence, ingenuity - as well as inhuman cruelty, greed and greed - recover precious metals and freeze in showcases.

Physico-chemical properties of beryl

• Mineral class: Silicates.
• Chemical formula- Be3Al2(SiO3)6.
• The shape of the crystals is a hexagonal prismatic crystal.
• Cleavage is imperfect.
• Syngony: hexagonal.
• Transparency - from translucent to transparent.
• Luster - glass.
• Hardness on the Mohs scale - 7.5-8.
• Density - 2.75.
• Light refraction or refraction period - 1.56-1.60.
• Fracture: conchoidal, uneven.
• Is the mineral brittle?: Yes.

Single crystals are capable of reaching several tens of kilograms of mass. Often there are druses of crystals. The presence of impurities in the body of the crystal determines its color. The high fracturing of the mineral excludes the suitability of large monoliths of the mineral for use as jewelry raw materials.

Varieties of natural beryl

High-quality beryls of pronounced color have their own names and are highly valued. Well known:

Light green beryl with clear golden hue. Heliodor can be a completely transparent stone with a soft yellow tint. The price of gem-quality stones is about $20 per carat. In deposits, the mineral is less common than the more common varieties of beryl.

In the past, with strong demand for blue aquamarines, heliodor was often thermally refined. Heating up to 400°C destroys the original golden color and gives the stone a blue tint.

The honey shade of the heliodor color indicates the highest quality of the gem. These stones are rare and are always in high demand.

Rare and expensive stone. The price of gem-quality copies of the palest pink color starts at $25 per carat. Strengthening the red tonality in the color of morganite means an increase in the value of the stone. A defect-free red-burgundy morganite jewelry insert of not too large a value can be valued at several hundred dollars.

In Europe and America, morganites are most in demand, the tones of which coincide with the color of garden berries. Raspberry, cherry, strawberry, currant stones are traditionally popular on the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. Pale pink morganite is valued in the East. In Russia, a gem may be called Vorobyovite.

Goshenite, or colorless beryl, attracts attention with a discreet brilliance of a transparent stone. How jewelry material Goshenite is valued less than colored beryls. Nevertheless, sets decorated with goshenite are in great demand: unlike diamond, colorless beryl does not scatter sheaves of multi-colored highlights around itself. Jewelry with goshenite is strict and solemn.

Gemologists also note other varieties of beryl, less known to the general public.

Augustite- blue beryl, can cost up to $150 per carat. Due to the high price, it is often counterfeited. It tends to fade over time and under the influence of solar radiation.

Bazzite- blue beryl of low color intensity. A separate name was awarded in honor of the discoverer who determined the high content of scandium in the mineral. In jewelry, it usually does not act in a separate role, and is often used like ordinary beryl or aquamarine.

Bixbit- rare red beryl. A one-carat stone can cost up to 15,000 rubles. Many enthusiastically call bixbit red emerald, but the prevalence of crimson beryl is much less than green beryl. It is mined at the only deposit periodically flooded with groundwater.

Mashish-beryl- a stone of thick blue color, named after the Brazilian city near the deposit precious stone. The properties are very similar to augustite, although it fades noticeably faster. Color instability caused the low price of the stone. Its extraction is considered unprofitable and is carried out extremely irregularly.

Pezzotaite. Classification confusion is a phenomenon equally inherent in all branches of scientific knowledge. The beautiful pink mineral pezzotaite was considered a special variety of beryl for several years. Found in Madagascar, he struck the researchers with the brightness of the color and the fifteen percent concentration of cesium in the composition of the stone.

The chemical formula of pezzotaite allows us to attribute it, like other crystallized aluminosilicates, to beryl, however structural features stones exclude such a definition. In 2009, mineralogists were finally convinced that a pezzotaite crystal from any deposit, whether Madagascar or Afghan, is trigonal. While any mineral from the beryl group has hexagonal crystals.

Thus, Federico Pezzota, who found pink crystals in 2002, became the discoverer of a completely new mineral.

Rosterite- beryl, the color of which ranges from complete colorlessness to pronounced Pink colour, and differing from other beryls by a high content of alkali metals among other impurities. Similar in use and price to goshenite.

Esoteric properties of beryl

Over thousands of years of using beryls as jewelry, people have learned to understand the power of the gem. It is noticed that the stone perfectly copes with the role of the protector of the welfare of the owner. One has only to send beryl into silver, and he begins to “guard” the acquired good no worse than a watchdog.

Even more uncompromising is beryl (especially intensely green) to diseases. He does not know how to prevent diseases, and does not prevent their occurrence. However, a sick person, putting on jewelry with green beryl, feels the inner heat emanating from the stone and literally burning ailments.

Red beryls give a surge of strength and energy. Wearing red beryls has a particularly strong effect on the elderly. The gem at times enhances the potential of an elderly person. He helps to get back on his feet even after a serious illness.

Beryls of blue shades harmonize the state of mind of the patient. Obsessive states, anxiety, neuroses and psychoses disappear faster if the treatment complex is supplemented with aquamarine lithotherapy. For a healthy person, contemplation of the bluish stone facets means the purification of thoughts, a decrease in the degree of feelings, and an increase in the ability to be creative.

There is not a single sign of the zodiac to which beryl would be contraindicated. This stone knows how to help any sign, isolating from the stellar forces co-directed with human ones, and suppressing the influence of dark energies.

However, astrologers consider beryl to be the talisman of the air signs. Libra and Gemini can wear any variety of beryl to their advantage. However, it is in October that this stone gains its full power. Beryl, worn in autumn, spreads its beneficial influence throughout the coming year!