Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Volhynie, Zhitomir, Ukrania
SIZE : 16.5 x 4 cm

This crystal of heliodore variety measures 16.5 cm lenght and has a diameter of 4 cm. It comes from pegmatite fields of Volhynie near Zhitomir, a hundred kilometers away of Kiev in Ukrania.

The crystals of Volhynie are often gemmeous and with big sizes (they can be 20 cm long for a diameter of 5-6 cm). The crystals of Volhynie are yellow to yellowish green and have many figures of dissolution.

Acquired thanks to support from Total, it is currently exposed in the Treasure Room, within the Gallery of Mineralogy of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle.

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © MNHN.

SPECIE : Beryl
VARIETY :Héliodore

HISTORY : Name inspired by the Greek word "βερυλλοσ" [beryllos] that designed precious stones having the colour of sewater

Word used en 77 by Caius Plinius Secundus better known as Pliny the Elder (AD 23 – August 24, AD 79), an ancient author, naturalist and naval and military commander

Type-locality: undefined because species already known by the Ancients
ANCIENT NAME : Béril

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Be3 Al2 Si6O18
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Hexagonal
COLOR : Colorless, white, green, yellow, pink, red, blue
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Vitreous
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Prismatic crystals, hexagonal, forming aggregates, massive
HARDNESS : 7,5-8,0
DENSITY : 2,63-2,97

CHEMICAL CLASS : VIII - Silicates
GROUP : Beryl
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 8/E.12-10
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 9.CJ.05

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Beryl

Heliodore

MNHN N°192.40

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