Color:
yellow variety of beryl
Durability:
Excellent
Localities:
Brazil, Madagascar, Namibia
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Heliodor
Al2Be3(Si6O16)
Aluminum beryllium silicate
Heliodor
is the golden yellow or golden green variety of the mineral beryl. It is a beryllium aluminum
silicate. The golden color is produced when iron replaces
some of the aluminum in the crystal structure.Heliodor
can contain trace amounts of uranium, making it slightly
radioactive. Heliodor was discovered in Namibia in 1910
in a pegmatite that also produced aquamarine, which is also
colored by iron. Crystals form very distinct hexagonal prisms
that are some of the largest crystal examples in gemology.
The largest faceted heliodor, 2,054 carats, is on display
at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The name
heliodor is Greek meaning gift from the sun. This
stone is not often used in jewelry because it lacks brilliance
and fire. Heliodor is found in Minas Gerais and Goias, Brazil;
the Ukraine in Russia; and also in Connecticut and Maine.
Heliodor is considered a talisman for those named Hugh.
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