Beryl Gemstones

Beryl is a versatile and widespread mineral found across the globe. While it forms most commonly in pegmatites—those coarse-grained, crystal-rich veins—it also shows up in mica schists, limestone, and more rarely in nepheline syenite. Geologically speaking, beryl is a bit of a shapeshifter, showing up wherever the right combination of pressure, heat, and mineral-rich fluids align.

Beryl often appears near tin and tungsten ore bodies, especially those created by high-temperature hydrothermal activity—basically hot, mineral-charged water seeping through cracks deep in the Earth.

Although it’s mined for beryllium in industrial settings, beryl is best known to most of us for its gem-quality forms, which offer a range of colors tied to different trace elements. These include:

• Emerald – The green variety of beryl, colored by trace amounts of chromium or vanadium.

• Aquamarine – A blue to blue-green beryl, colored by iron. Known for its clarity and oceanic tones.

• Heliodor – A golden-yellow beryl, often associated with solar energy and light.

• Morganite – A soft pink variety, increasingly popular in fine jewelry.

• Goshenite – The colorless, purest form of beryl—historically used as a gemstone and lens material.

• Red Beryl (a.k.a. Bixbite) – Exceptionally rare and found almost exclusively in Utah, colored by manganese.

Most gem-quality beryl is mined from local deposits in countries like Brazil, Russia, Pakistan, Madagascar, and the United States. While industrial beryl may be plentiful, high-quality gemstones are far rarer—and each carries the unique fingerprint of its formation environment.

If you're holding a beryl gem, you're holding a crystal that formed deep underground through intense geologic processes, carrying the memory of molten veins, mineral-rich fluids, and ancient continental shifts.