Though beryllium can be extracted from beryl most of us are more familiar with the gemstones emerald (deep green), aquamarine (greenish blue to blue), and morganite (pink to orange), that consist of the mineral beryl. Though these three gems are the most well-known here are a few more beryl gemstone varieties and colors.

• Golden Beryl--Golden yellow to orange-yellow.
• Goshenite—Colorless.*
• Heliodor—Yellow to greenish yellow.
• Red Beryl—Also known as bixbyte, a deep red variety of extremely rare beryl that only comes from two localities in Utah.

*Pure beryl is actually colorless, the other beryl gems are colored by impurities found in the beryl.

Beryl often crystalizes in perfect, six-sided hexagons. Though crystals may be enormous in size, some up to 30 feet long, beryl may also be short, stubby crystals, and occasionally in tabular crystals and plates. The bases of beryl crystals are usually flat; pyramidal terminations are rare.