Mineralpedia Details for Chrysoberyl

Named after the Greek word chryso, which means “golden,” in reference to the mineral’s typical color, and likely after the beryllium content of the mineral, although most sources will tell of it being named after the Greek beryllos, which means “beryl,” despite the fact that Chrysoberyl and beryl are two completely unrelated minerals. Chrysoberyl is an uncommon mineral, but widespread and notable localities include in Brazil, the Czech Republic, Russia, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and the United States. Chrysoberyl can be found in granite pegmatites and as a detrital mineral.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/chrysoberyl.pdf

Formula

BeAl₂O₄ 

Crystal System

Orthorhombic 

Crystal Habit

Twinning Common, Prismatic, Tabular 

Cleavage

Distinct, Imperfect, Imperfect 

Luster

Vitreous (Glassy) 

Color

blue green, brown, brownish green, green, gray 

Streak

white 

Class

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal 

Fracture

Brittle 

Hardness

8.5 

WebMineral

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Mindat

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Yellowish green, translucent twinned crystal. Scale 2x2cm.

Gorgeous, lustrous and gemmy, cyclic twinned Chyrsoberyl from the classic locality Espirito Santo. Nearly complete 360 twin not quite, instead has several other 1cm crystals attached. 

Group of three cyclic-twin Chrysoberyl variety Alexandrite crystals to 1cm that are a nice grape-purple in the photos, but an equally beautiful green in person. The pleochroism is quite spectacular and we absolutely could not capture the green color on camera.

Pegmatite specimen with lime greenish yellow plates of twinned Chrysoberyl the largest shown to 1.3cm.