Database of luminescent minerals 

BERYL

Chemical formula: Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈

Family: Silicates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal system : Hexagonal

Display mineral: NON

Associated names (luminescent varieties, discredited names, synonyms, etc.): aiguemarine,  emeraude,  morganite,  goshenite, 

Luminescence:

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Phosphorescence (in the common sense of the term) observable with the naked eye:

No phosphorescence visible to the naked eye under any type of UV

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): Cr³⁺, Fe³⁺,  Mn⁴⁺,  V²⁺,  VO₄^3-,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

(VO₄)^3- : Broad band peaking at 433 nm 

Mn²⁺ tetrahedral  : Broad band peaking at 480nm

Mn²⁺ octaedral  : Broad band peaking at 570nm 

Fe³⁺ or V²⁺ or Mn⁴⁺ : Broad band peaking at 720 - 745 nm (140nm half-width) 

Cr³⁺ or V²⁺ : Lines at 692 and 694nm 

Spectrum: Michael Gaft, Petah Tikva, Israel. Plot: Institute of Mineralogy, University of Vienna, Austria, with permission of the authors.

Spectrum Galery:

  
  Go to the galery (4 spectra)

Comments on spectrum and activators:

Band peaking at 730 nm associated with Mn⁴⁺ (or Mn³⁺)
Broad band peaking at 480 (Mn²⁺ in tetrahedral) and 570 (Mn²⁺ in octaedral coordination).
Broad band peaking at 720 - 745 nm (Fe³⁺ or V²⁺ or Mn⁴⁺).
Lines at 692 and 694 (Cr³⁺).
Broad band peaking at 433 nm (VO₄).

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Lavra Chia, Minas Gerais, Brazil;
• Pingwu beryl mine, Huya township, Mt Xuebaoding, Pingwu Co., Mianyang Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China (var. goshenite bluish-white SW);
• Weeks Quarry, East WakefieldNH, USA (faint peach color LW);
• Newry, Maine, USA (weak yellow LW, nothing SW)
• Gillette Quarry, Haddam Neck, Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut, USA (var. morganite fluo blue-white SW);
• Strickland Quarry, Strickland pegmatite, Collins Hill, Portland, Middlesex Co., Connecticut, USA (blue SW);
• Tamminen Quarry, Greenwood, Oxford Co., Maine, USA (blue SW with fluorapatite yellow);
• Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA (blue SW);
• Laghman Province, Afghanistan (var. morganite, blue SW);
• Konar Province, Afghanistan (var. morganite, blue SW);
• Mawi Pegmatite, Nilaw-Kolum Pegmatite Field, Du Ab District, Nuristan, Afghanistan (var morganite blue-white SW)

(*)The data are not exhaustive and are limited to a few remarkable localities for fluorescence

Bibliographic reference for luminescence:

• The Henkel Glossary of Fluorescent Minerals, Dr. Gerhard Henkel, Published by the FMS, 1989 ,
• Fluorescence: Gems and Minerals Under Ultraviolet Light, Manuel Robbins, 1994, Geoscience Press, ISBN 0-945005-13-X ,
• Luminescence Spectroscopy of Minerals and Materials, M. Gaft, R. Reisfeld, G. Panczer, Springer Editor, ISBN: 10 3-540-21918-8 ,
• Handbook of Fluorescent Gems and Minerals, a practical guide for the gem and mineral collector, Jack de Ment, 1949 ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

  http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Beryl

  http://webmineral.com/data/Beryl.shtml

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