Unraveling the Secret Gemstone: Red Beryl
Red beryl, a captivating gemstone known for its raspberry-red to intensely saturated purplish-red hue, is the rarest variety of the beryl family, which includes emerald and aquamarine. This scarcity is primarily due to its extremely limited geological occurrence, the uncommon conditions required for its formation, and its typically small crystal size.
Limited Locations
Red beryl is found in very few places worldwide, most notably the Wah Wah Mountains in Utah, USA. The exact number of natural deposits is so scarce that it makes the gemstone extremely valuable.
Rare Formation Conditions
The formation of red beryl requires a highly specific combination of geological factors. It requires the presence of beryllium and manganese (rather than chromium, which colors emerald green), as well as unique heat and pressure conditions for its red color to develop. This rare geologic environment is not commonly found.
Small Crystal Size
Unlike other beryls such as emerald or aquamarine that can form larger crystals, red beryl crystals are usually very small, often only a few carats in size. This limits the availability of gem-quality stones suitable for cutting and faceting.
Mining Difficulty
The difficulty in mining red beryl, coupled with its small size and rarity, further restricts its commercial availability.
These factors combine to make red beryl nearly 1,000 times rarer than diamonds. While thousands of diamonds over a carat are mined annually, only a handful of facetable red beryl stones of similar size are recovered each year.
The Ruby Violet Mine
The only reliable source of gem-quality red beryl is the 'Ruby Violet' or 'Red Beryl' mine in Utah. The Harris family owned the mine until 1994, when they leased it to Kennecott Exploration Company for three years. After GMI's lease expired, the mine reverted to the full ownership of the Harris family.
Synthetic Red Beryl
There is a synthetic red beryl on the market, produced by the Russian Institute of Crystallography between the mid-1990s and 2016. Distinction can be made by the absence of natural inclusions and the presence of 'heat haze' or 'zig-zag zoning' in the synthetic red beryl.
The Misleading Term 'Red Emerald'
The term 'red emerald' is often used for red beryl, but it is considered misleading by the FTC.
The Future of Red Beryl
As of 2003, around 60,000 carats of red beryl had been mined from the 'Ruby Violet' or 'Red Beryl' mine, of which a mere 10% could be faceted. The largest known faceted red beryl is 8.0 carats.
The mine was funded by Red Emerald Resources, a Canadian investor. GMI sold the mined red beryl to a Gibraltar-based company called Red Emerald Ltd. The future of red beryl mining and its availability to the public remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: red beryl will continue to be a sought-after gemstone due to its rarity and striking colour.
[1] Source: Red Beryl: The Rarest Beryl (Geological Institute of America)
- The gemmology field has published numerous articles regarding the unique properties and formation of red beryl, contributing to a better understanding of this captivating gemstone.
- As the foundation of one's knowledge in gemmology, courses and workshops focusing on rare gemstones like red beryl are essential in education and self-development.
- In addition to its scarcity, red beryl's striking color and its significance in space-and-astronomy, as noted in lifestyle and science publications, have fueled public interest in both the gemstone and the mining process.
- The medical-conditions associated with prolonged exposure to gemstone mining, such as silicosis and mining accidents, are topics of concern in the engineering and health sector, highlighting the need for stricter regulations and safer mining practices.
- With the rise of technology, education and self-development platforms offer online courses and publications on various subjects, including the science of red beryl, its diagnostic methods, and the proper care and maintenance of gemstones.
- To combat counterfeiting in the jewelry industry, reliable diamond certifications and instruments are crucial, ensuring the authenticity and value of gemstones, including diamonds and red beryl.
