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Goshenite  (variety of Beryl)
Current inventory:  1 gem
 

Chemistry:  Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈  [Beryllium Aluminum Silicate]

Discovered: prehistory;   IMA status: Goshenite - Not Valid; Beryl - Valid
Goshenite is named after Goshen, Massachusetts where it was first discovered on the Barrus Farm. The name Beryl is possibly from the Greek word beryllos which referred to a number of blue-green stones in antiquity.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Silicates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/E.12-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.CJ.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
J : [Si₆O₁₈]₁₂- 6-membered single rings (sechser-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions

Related to:

Beryl Group: Beryl, Bazzite, Indialite, Stoppaniite, Pezzottaite. Beryl Series

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Hexagonal - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Beryl: Crystals prismatic to tabular, may be complexly terminated by pyramids, to 18 m and 180 t. Also radial, columnar; granular to compact.

Twinning:

Rarely

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[0001] Imperfect/Fair

Fracture:

Conchoidal to Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

7.5 - 8.0

Density:

2.60 - 2.90 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Colorless

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous

Refractive Index:

1.562 - 1.602  Uniaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.004 - 0.008

Dispersion:

Weak; 0.014

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In granites and granite pegmatites, rarely in nepheline syenites. Also in mafic metamorphic rocks, low- to high-temperature hydrothermal veins.

Type Locality:

Barrus Farm, Goshen, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA

Year Discovered:

Prehistory

View mineral photos:

Goshenite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org (Goshenite)
Mindat.org (Beryl)
Webmineral.com (Beryl)

Goshenite is the colorless variety of the Beryl family of minerals that includes Aquamarine (blue), Bixbite (red), Emerald (green), Goshenite (colorless), Heliodor (yellow), Morganite (pink) and recently, Pezzottaite (pinkish red). Goshenite is generally thought to be pure Beryl and not colored by impurities. But this may not be true. Goshenite may contain some impurity elements that inhibit color in Beryl. Goshenite is usually found in just about all Beryl localities.

Goshenite is found in many locations around the world but gem quality crystals are not that common. Some notable locations for gem quality crystals are Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil; Hunan, Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, China; Mogok, Sagaing District, Mandalay Division, Myanmar (Burma); Erongo Mountain, Usakos and Omaruru Districts, Erongo Region, Namibia; Gilgit, Gilgit District, Northern Areas, Pakistan; and Greenwood, Oxford County, Maine, USA.
 

  
Goshenite gems for sale: