How is aquamarine formed?

Aquamarine gemstones belong to the prestigious beryl group of minerals. Beryl crystals are some of the precious gems found in nature.

The name -Aquamarine- has its origin in the Latin phrase ‘Water of the sea’. Yes, this eye-pleasing gemstone has the color of “sea water”.

The indigenous rocks facilitate the growth conditions for the formation of aquamarine. As Pluto cooled, the minerals crystallized to form gemstones like aquamarine. The size of the crystal is relative to the rate of cooling. Large crystals form when the cooling rate is very slow.

These gemstones form naturally under specific violent geological conditions. The formation of natural aquamarine gemstones dates back to 35 million years ago, when mineral-rich high-pressure magma flowed into the rock layers of mountain ranges. As it cooled, the magma fluid became trapped in cavities of mineral-saturated fluid that heated to a very high temperature of 1,112°F. Minerals, including aquamarines and other gemstones, crystallized in these pockets of fluid. Over millions of years, variations in pressure and temperature caused erosion, uplift, and displacement that resulted in crystals, minerals, and gems.

Aquamarine, a precious earthly gem, is found in natural geological formations. These crystalline formations are popularly called pegmatite. Generally, large crystals form in open holes called pockets. These are commonly associated with crystals of feldspar, muscovite, and quartz.

These gems are also found in cavities in granites and greisens. During the cooling stages of the location, the granite rocks were displaced and eroded to form hydrothermal carbonate veins that host aquamarine in large quantities.

This clear, transparent gemstone is often found together with well-known pegmatite accessory minerals such as garnet, biotite, topaz, and phenakite.

Chemically declared aquamarine is a beryllium aluminum silicate mineral. It has a Mohs hardness ranging from 7.5 to 8 with a specific gravity of around 2.68 to 2.74. Good hardness and good specific gravity, the prominent properties of this gem make it available in alluvial deposits as well.

Aquamarines are mainly found in Brazil, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa and the United States, among other places where it is present in large quantities. Dark blue aquamarines have been mined in India.

It is quite common for aquamarine brutes to be available in large numbers in the wild. Brutes weighing up to 110 kilograms have been discovered in some mines. An enormous number of gems weighing around 2000 carats have been cut from naturally occurring crystal formations.

The pale green to pleasant blue hues of aquamarine are caused by the iron present in its crystal structure. The small amounts of iron present in this beautiful gemstone give them their lovely color that ranges from pastel blue to bluish green.

This gem usually occurs in very large crystals that are shaped like perfect hexagons. Bicolor aquamarines are also naturally present along with other beryl minerals such as morganite. Raw aquamarine of natural origin is usually flawless, without inclusions and is not very expensive.