Aquamarine’s name comes from the Latin for seawater and it was said to calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. March’s birthstone was also thought to enhance the happiness of marriages. The best gems combine high clarity with limpid transparency and blue to slightly greenish blue hues. Like many beryls, aquamarine forms large crystals suitable for sizable fashioned gems and carvings.
110 Kilos
The largest gem-quality aquamarine crystal mined to date is 19 inches long.
Beryl
Like emerald, aquamarine is a color variety of the mineral beryl.
15,000 feet
Aquamarine is mined at high elevations in Pakistan’s Karakoram Mountains.
Facts
- Mineral: beryl
- Chemistry: Be3Al2Si6O18
- Color: greenish blue, light in tone
- Refractive index: 1.577 to 1.583
- Birefringence: 0.005 to 0.009
- Specific gravity: 2.72
- Mohs Hardness: 7.5 to 8.0
Name and etymology
The name aquamarine comes from aqua (Latin for ‘water’), and marine, deriving from marina (Latin for ‘of the sea’). The word aquamarine was first used in the year 1677.
The word aquamarine has been used as a modifier for other minerals like aquamarine tourmaline, aquamarine emerald, aquamarine chrysolite, aquamarine sapphire, or aquamarine topaz.
Physical properties
Aquamarine is blue with hues of green, caused by trace amounts of iron found within the crystal structure. It can vary from pale to vibrant and transparent to translucent. Better transparency in aquamarine gemstones means that light may go through the crystal with less interference. The hexagonal crystal system is where aquamarine crystallizes. Prismatic crystals with a hexagonal cross-section are formed by it. These crystals can be microscopic to enormous in size and frequently feature faces with vertical striating. The lustre of aquamarine ranges from vitreous to resinous. It can have a glass-like brilliance and a sheen when cut and polished correctly.
Chemical composition
Aquamarine has a chemical composition of Be3Al2Si6O18, also containing Fe2+. It belongs to the beryl family, being a beryllium aluminum silicate mineral. It is closely related to emerald, morganite, and heliodor. Aquamarine is chemically stable and resistant to most common chemicals and acids. It has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale. While aquamarine often contains no inclusions, it may possess them, with content such as mica, hematite, saltwater, biotite, rutile or pyrite. Its hardness on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness is rated as 7.5-8. This rating gives aquamarine the chance to be a very suitable gem for everyday wear.
Geological formation
Aquamarine mainly forms in granite pegmatites (coarse-grained igneous rock) and hydrothermal vents. The remaining liquid that is left behind after granitic magma crystallizes is what gives rise to pegmatites. The residual fluids, which are rich in volatile elements and minerals such as silicon, aluminum, and beryllium, concentrate when the magma cools and solidifies.
Aquamarine may also be formed by hydrothermal fluids, which are hot, mineral-rich solutions. These liquids contain dissolved minerals and metals as they move through fissures and cavities in the crust of the Earth. Fractures, faults, and veins are just a few of the geological environments that hydrothermal systems can be linked to.
Beryllium is a necessary component for the production of aquamarine, a type of beryl. Although beryllium is a relatively uncommon element in the crust of the Earth, it can be found in concentrated forms in some geological settings. These include beryllium-rich hydrothermal systems and granite pegmatites, which contain large amounts of beryllium-bearing minerals.
The dissolved elements start to precipitate out of the solution and form crystals as the hydrothermal fluids cool and come into contact with the right minerals and circumstances. Crystals of beryl, which include aquamarine, begin to form in pegmatite veins and host rock fissures or cavities. Aquamarine crystals grow over long periods, which enables them to take on their distinctive hexagonal prismatic shape.
This is a very long process that can take millions of years to form. The settings in which aquamarine forms can vary and may lead to variations in gem quality, size, and color.
Value
The value of aquamarine is determined by its weight, color, cut, and clarity. Due to its relative abundance, aquamarine is comparatively less expensive than other gemstones within the beryl group, such as emerald or bixbite (red beryl), however it is typically more expensive than similarly colored gemstones such as blue topaz. Maxixe is a rarer variant of aquamarine, with its deep blue coloration, however, its color can fade due to sunlight. The color of maxixe is caused by NO3. Dark-blue maxixe color can be produced in green, pink or yellow beryl by irradiating it with high-energy radiation (gamma rays, neutrons or even X-rays). Naturally occurring blue hued aquamarine specimens are more expensive than those that have undergone heat treatment to reduce yellow tones caused by ferric iron. Cut aquamarines that are over 25 carats will have a lower price per carat than smaller ones of the same quality. Overall, the quality and color will vary depending on the source of the gem.
In culture
Aquamarine is the birth stone for the month of March. It has historically been used a symbol for youth and happiness due to its color, which has also, along with its name, made Western culture connect it with the ocean. Ancient tales have claimed that aquamarine came from the treasure chests of mermaids; which led to sailors using this gemstone as a lucky charm to protect against shipwreck. Additionally, ancient Romans believed this stone had healing properties, due to the stone being almost invisible when submerged in water.
The Chinese used it to make seals, and showpiece dolls. The Japanese used it to make netsuke.
The Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, and Sumerians all believed that aquamarine stones were worn by the High Priest of the Second Temple. It was said that these stones were engraved to represent the six tribes of Israel. Greeks also engraved designs into aquamarine 2 thousand years ago and turned them into intaglios.
In our modern era, aquamarine is mainly used for jewelry, decoration and its properties. It can be cut and shaped into rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.
Aquamarine became a state gem for Colorado in 1971.
Occurrence
Aquamarine can be found in countries like Afghanistan, China, Kenya, Pakistan, Russia, Mozambique, the United States, Brazil, Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Malawi, India, Zimbabwe, Australia, Myanmar, and Namibia. The state of Minas Gerais is a major source for aquamarine.
Aquamarine can mostly be found in granite pegmatites. It can also be found in veins of metamorphic rocks that became mineralized by hydrothermal activity.
The largest known example is the Dom Pedro aquamarine found in Pedra Azul, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the late 1980’s. It weighs roughly 4.6 pounds, cut from a 100-pound aquamarine crystal, and measures 10,363 carats. It resides in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington.
Mining and extraction
The initial stages of the aquamarine mining process involve prospecting and exploration. Finding prospective locations or regions with aquamarine reserves is necessary. Geological mapping, remote sensing, mapping, remote sensing, sampling, and other methods are used by geologists and mining firms to locate potentially aquamarine-containing geological formations and structures. Preparation of the site is the next step, which includes removing any vegetation, leveling the land, and constructing the facilities – such as access roads and workspaces. It is possible to mine aquamarine using both open-pit and underground techniques. This will depend on the size of the operation, the features of the deposit, and environmental conditions.
The most popular technique for extracting aquamarine on a large scale is open-pit mining. In order to reveal the aquamarine-bearing ore, the soil, vegetation, and rock cover must be removed. The ore is extracted using trucks, bulldozers, and excavators, to remove the material.
Underground mining may occasionally be used to obtain aquamarine reserves. This process entails digging shafts and tunnels to reach the ore bodies or veins that contain gems. When the aquamarine deposit is deep or the surrounding rock is too hard for open-pit extraction, underground mining is used, even though it can be more difficult and expensive than open-pit mining.
After extraction, the ore containing aquamarine is delivered to a processing plant. To extract the aquamarine crystals from the surrounding rock and other minerals, the ore is crushed, processed, and occasionally cleaned. The aquamarine can be concentrated and purified using a variety of methods, such as magnetic separation, froth flotation, and gravity separation.
The aquamarine crystals are then sorted according to size, shape, color, and clarity following the initial processing. The gemstones are assessed and graded by gemologists and experts according to predetermined standards, such as the four C’s (color, clarity, cut, and carat weight). Only the best aquamarine crystals are chosen to be used in jewelry made of gemstones.
Care and maintenance
Aquamarine is classified as a durable gem, however, it may still be damaged. In storage, it is advised to place it on its own, without the interruption of other gemstones to prevent scratches. Warm soapy water and a soft brush are the best ways to clean this gemstone, however, ultrasonic cleaners are relatively safe for aquamarine.
Alternative uses
Although aquamarine is mainly used for jewelry, aquamarine powder has proven to be a beneficial ingredient in cosmetics. It has a binding and skin protecting function that ensures protection of the skin from external influences.