Morganite

Appearance

Morganite is a gorgeous pink or a salmon pink variety of the gemstone Beryl.

It is typically translucent or transparent, although lower quality pieces are sometimes opaque due to inclusions and cloudiness.

Morganite is somewhat unusual in that it often occurs in large crystals, but smaller crystals with good colour are significantly rarer. Most pieces are cut large to maximise the colour, which can make them less desirable for jewellery usage.

Uses and History

Morganite is used as a gemstone, being a high quality variant of Beryl.

It was named in 1910 after the American banker J. P. Morgan. One of the largest gem Morganite crystals ever discovered was found in Maine, USA – it measures around 30CM across and weighed around 23KG!

Locales

Morganite is found in a few countries worldwide, including Afghanistan, Brazil, Italy, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Russia, and the USA.

Mineralogy

Photos of Morganite (Pink Beryl)

Hazards and Warnings

Almost all rocks, minerals (and, frankly, almost all other substances on earth) can produce toxic dust when cutting, which can cause serious respiratory conditions including silicosis.
When cutting or polishing rocks, minerals, shells, etc, all work should be done wet to minimise the dust, and a suitable respirator or extraction system should be used.

Translations

Further Reading / External Links

• https://www.gemsociety.org/article/morganite-jewelry-and-gemstone-information/
• https://www.gia.edu/UK-EN/morganite
• https://www.mindat.org/min-2783.html