Aquamarine from Vietnam

Mineral Matters #249

This week’s Facebook Mineral of the Week Group’s selected theme is beryl.

Today I have selected an aquamarine. Some people don’t like aquamarines, but what’s not to like. Particularly if your favourite colour is blue!

Aquamarine is a blue variety of beryl, and typically ranges from pale to moderately saturated blue, with occasional greenish tinges. Its name comes from the Latin aqua marina for "water of the sea" and its colour comes from trace amounts of iron within the crystal structure. The value of aquamarine typically increases with the intensity and purity of the blue colour.

In northern Vietnam, commercially significant deposits of aquamarine are found in the Thuong Xuan District of Thanh Hoa Province. These deposits occur in granitic pegmatites and associated eluvial deposits.

Vietnamese aquamarine is known for its attractive colour and well-formed crystals. The colour is often described as an icy blue, and crystals can be transparent to translucent, with excellent lustre and clarity.

Below: Aquamarine, Xuan Le, Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. 27mm long.