Chrysoberyl
Chrysoberyl is an oxide mineral valued for its hardness and gem potential, with known Chinese sources.
About Chrysoberyl
Chrysoberyl belongs to the oxide class in the chrysoberyl group and has the chemical formula BeAl2O4. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and is one of the most visually varied minerals in the collector market. Its combination of structural character and global distribution make it a recognized species in both systematic and aesthetic collections.
Identification & care
Chrysoberyl typically forms tabular, pseudo-hexagonal (twinned); striated; cyclic twins common. Its color range is broad, including pale yellow-green, yellow, golden-yellow, green, brownish, and alexandrite changes color. The luster is vitreous, the streak is white, and specimens range from transparent to translucent. The cleavage is distinct {110}. The fracture is conchoidal to uneven, which aids identification.
Collector context
How it forms
Chrysoberyl forms in granitic pegmatites, mica schists, hydrothermal veins; associated with beryllium-rich environments. It is commonly found in association with beryl, tourmaline, apatite, phlogopite, feldspar.
Classic Chinese localities
Chrysoberyl is widely represented across Chinese provinces, including Hunan, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Fujian.
Why collectors care
Collectors pursue natural crystals of Chrysoberyl because they preserve what cutting removes — the crystal form, color zoning, and growth history of a species also valued as a cut gem. A terminated chrysoberyl crystal with good clarity connects the collector directly to the geology that produced the stone.
What affects value
Value in Chrysoberyl is assessed, in typical order of weight, against: (1) locality provenance; (2) crystal size; (3) transparency and internal clarity; (4) color intensity and saturation; (5) crystal form and termination sharpness; (6) matrix and associated-species aesthetics; (7) gem-cutting potential. Verified locality documentation and cutting potential further elevate collector demand.
Naming history
The name Chrysoberyl has a specific etymological and historical context — see Mindat's reference entry for provenance details. We have retained naming data at the record level; published prose is paraphrased from factual fields rather than copied from source.