How to identify Aquamarine

To correctly identify Aquamarine (Beryl (variety Aquamarine)), check each of these features in order. Many rocks and minerals look alike, so cross-reference multiple properties before deciding.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Color

   Overall color and any zoning or banding

   Ranges from pale blue to deep blue, often with a greenish tint. The most valuable aquamarines are typically a clear, intense blue.

2. 2

   Luster

   How the surface reflects light: metallic, vitreous, dull

   Vitreous (glassy).

3. 3

   Texture

   Grain size and surface feel: coarse, fine, glassy

   Smooth to the touch when polished; rough on crystal faces.

4. 4

   Crystal Form

   Shape of visible crystals or crystal faces

   Typically forms hexagonal prisms, often with striations parallel to the c-axis. Can also be found as massive or granular aggregates.

5. 5

   Cleavage

   How it breaks: flat cleavage planes vs irregular fracture

   Imperfect basal cleavage {0001}, rarely observed in practice due to its toughness.

6. 6

   Geological Environment

   The rock formation and setting where it occurs

   Found in granitic pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, and sometimes in alluvial deposits derived from these primary sources. Often associated with minerals like feldspar, quartz, muscovite, and other beryl varieties.

Key Facts

Hardness

7.5 - 8 on the Mohs scale

Specific Gravity

2.68 - 2.80 g/cm³

Crystal System

Hexagonal

Color

Pale blue to deep blue, often with a greenish tint

Luster

Vitreous

Transparency

Transparent to translucent

Fracture

Conchoidal to uneven

Cleavage

Imperfect basal {0001}

Composition

Beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate (Be3Al2Si6O18)

Physical characteristics

• Crystal Habit: Prismatic, typically hexagonal, often elongated and striated parallel to the c-axis. Can also be massive or granular.
• Cleavage Type: Imperfect basal {0001}. Rarely observed in practice due to its toughness.
• Fracture Type: Conchoidal to uneven, brittle.
• Tenacity: Brittle
• Luster Type: Vitreous (glassy)

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