Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Corrego do Urucum, Galileia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
SIZE : 9 x 8 x 2.6 cm

This hexagonal crystal is a beryl of variety morganite. It is transparent and light pink, its faces show growth striations. It measures 9 x 8 but 2.6 cm thickness.

Its locality is known (Corrego do Urucum, Brazil) but its inventory number which is notified on this crystal seems to be erroneous: information of this number doesn't discribed a beryl but a mineral of another species, so the acquisition modality is unknown.

This sample 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 :Morganite

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 from the Ancients
ANCIENT NAME : Béril

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Be3 Al2 Si6O18
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Hexagonal
COLOR : Colourless, 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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Morganite

MNHN N°175.25

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