gemstone
Aquamarine
Beryllium Aluminum Silicate (Be3Al2Si6O18)
Hardness: 7.5-8.0 (Mohs scale); Color: Light blue to bluish-green; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: Indistinct; Specific Gravity: 2.67-2.90.
- Hardness
- 7
- Color
- Light blue to bluish-green
- Luster
- Vitreous
Identified More gemstone →
Explore Aquamarine in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 7.5-8.0 (Mohs scale); Color: Light blue to bluish-green; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: Indistinct; Specific Gravity: 2.67-2.90.
Formation & geological history
Formed in pegmatites, which are igneous rock formations with very large crystals. The blue color comes from trace amounts of iron (Fe2+ and Fe3+) within the crystal lattice.
Uses & applications
Primarily used in jewelry as beads or faceted stones. Also prized as a collector's mineral specimen. In industrial forms, beryl is an ore of beryllium.
Geological facts
Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. The name comes from the Latin 'aqua marina', meaning 'water of the sea'. Unlike emerald, which is also a type of beryl, aquamarine is often found in large, exceptionally clean crystals.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its characteristic pale blue color and high hardness (it will scratch glass and quartz). Natural specimens often show visible hexagonal columns. Common locations include Brazil, Pakistan, and Madagascar.
More like this
Other gemstone specimens
Diamond and Gold Jewelry
Carbon (Diamond) / Au (Gold)
gemstone
Ammolite
Ammolite (Biogenic Aragonite with trace elements; fossils of Placenticeras meeki and Placenticeras intercalare)
mineral
Cubic Zirconia (simulant) or Diamond
ZrO2 (Cubic Zirconia) or C (Diamond)
gemstone
Red Jasper
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Hematite inclusions
sedimentary
Cubic Zirconia (or possibly Diamond)
Zirconium dioxide (or Carbon)
gemstone
Faceted Gemstone
Unknown transparent mineral, possibly Diamond (C), Cubic Zirconia (ZrO2), Quartz (SiO2), or Glass
gemstone