| P number: | P521534 |
|---|---|
| Caption: | Mineral specimen of beryl in granite. Pass of Ballater, Aberdeenshire. |
| Description: | The sample shows a pale green crystal of beryl intergrown with a large light grey quartz crystal, within a pink granite. British Geological Survey Petrology Mineral Collection sample number 31502. Beryl is one of the more common semi-precious gemstones found in Scotland. It occurs as small crystals within schists and gneisses throughout the Highlands, but is best known from pegmatite deposits associated with granites and in metamorphic areas where large crystals several centimetres across are present. It can be white or transparent, but is most easily recognized by its pale green colour. Beryl is a beryllium aluminium silicate and is known as the principal ore of the element beryllium. It is more famously known as the source of a range of beautifully coloured gemstones, blue/green aquamarine, green emerald, yellow heliodor, pink morganite, blue maxixe and red bixbite. It belongs to the hexagonal crystal system and is very hard, 7.5-8 on Moh's scale of hardness. It commonly forms in granitic rocks and pegmatites and can occur in huge crystals. It can also occur in very high temperature hyrothermal (greisen) deposits. Beryl is rare as a gemstone in Scotland. |
| Date taken: | Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 GMT 2003 |
| Photographer: | Unknown |
| Copyright statement: | NERC |
| Orientation: | Landscape |
| Size: | 216.34 KB; 1000 x 775 pixels; 85 x 66 mm (print at 300 DPI); 265 x 205 mm (screen at 96 DPI); |
| Average Rating: | Not yet rated |
| Categories: | Unsorted Images |
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