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16.4.9: Morganite

  • Page ID
    4039
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    Morganite
    Chemical composition Be3Al2(SiO3)6Beryllium aluminium silicate
    Crystal system Hexagonal
    Habit Prismatic
    Cleavage Poor, basal
    Fracture Conchoidal to uneven
    Hardness 7.5
    Optic nature Unixaial -
    Refractive index 1.58 - 1.60
    Birefringence 0.008 - 0.009
    Dispersion Low, 0.014
    Specific gravity 2.80 - 2.90
    Lustre Vitreous
    Pleochroism Weak to moderate (shades of body color)

    File:Morganite minas gerais.jpg

    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Minas Gerais, Brazil


    Morganite is the pink, peach or lilac variety of the mineral beryl. It is a beryllium aluminum silicate colored with a trace amount of manganese. The stone was named after the American banker and gem lover, J. P. Morgan, shortly after it was first discovered in 1902 in the Malagasy Republic (Madagascar). Fine examples are currently found in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and Madagascar.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Minas Gerais
    Brazil

    File:Morganite.jpg

    Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): Brazil

    Red (bixbite) and pink (morganite) beryls are manufactured using the hydrothermal process by Biron International in Australia. The coloring agent in these synthetics is titanium opposed to manganese in their natural counterparts.


    This page titled 16.4.9: Morganite is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by gemology via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

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