Berilo Aguamarina
Berilo is a mineral with formula Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈), in the Ciclosilicatos group. This specimen comes from Mungo High Mines, Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Gilgit-Baltistán, Pakistán and joined the Terrium collection in 2007.
Description
Sky-blue hexagonal prismatic crystal, transparent, with very high vitreous lustre. Lateral faces perfectly striated and a clean, undamaged pinacoidal termination. The crystal base rests on an aggregate of white albite.
History of this specimen
My first large aquamarine—love at first sight with that truncated double pyramid and its pinacoid at the top. Chunky and of gem quality. A delight.
About Berilo
Its blue colour is due to traces of iron partially substituting for aluminium. Beryl belongs to the cyclosilicate group and crystallises in the hexagonal system. The most valued aquamarines are those of pure blue hue without a greenish tint, like this one. Transparency and complete termination give this specimen both gemmological and aesthetic interest.
About the locality
Shigar Valley is one of the best-known localities in northern Pakistan for pegmatites rich in beryl, topaz, tourmaline and phenakite. On the slopes of the Karakoram mountains, small-scale miners extract crystals by hand from granite fractures, often under extreme high-altitude conditions.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0216
- Composition
- Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
- Name
- Berilo
- Variety
- Aguamarina
- Group
- Ciclosilicatos
- Category
- Estélites
- Associations
- albita
- Mine
- Mungo High Mines
- District / Municipality
- Shigar Valley
- Province
- Skardu District
- Region
- Gilgit-Baltistán
- Country
- Pakistán
- Size (cm)
- 4.6 x 2 x 1.7
- Weight
- 13.7 g
- Acquired
- 2007
- Ex-collection
- Diego Navarro
- Etymology
- From the Greek "bēryllos", the ancient name for bluish-green beryl, and from the Latin "aqua marina", for its colour similar to sea water.
- Quality
- Top
- Value trend
- Al alza
Related specimens
- Allanita ((Ce)) — Pakistán
- Berilo (Aguamarina) — Pakistán
- Brookita — Pakistán
- Calcita (Manganocalcita) — Pakistán
- Cuarzo (Rutilado negro) — Pakistán
- Elbaíta (Green Cap) — Pakistán
- Elbaíta (Verdelita) — Pakistán
- Epidota — Pakistán