Morganite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rama" title="User:Rama">Rama</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0 fr)
Mineral NameMorganite
Chemical FormulaBe3Al2(SiO3)6
Mohs Hardness7.5
Crystal Systemhexagonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageimperfect basal {0001}
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.8
Colorspink, rose, peach, salmon, purplish-pink
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityBrazil, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia, USA (California, Maine), Madagascar
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, collector
Associated Mineralsquartz, feldspar, lepidolite, tourmaline, spodumene
Rarityuncommon
Description
This specimen is an irregularly shaped, translucent to transparent piece of morganite, displaying a delicate pale pinkish-orange color with some internal fractures and minor dark inclusions.
Geological Context
Morganite is a variety of beryl that typically forms in lithium-rich granitic pegmatites and sometimes in hydrothermal veins, crystallizing from late-stage magmatic fluids.
