Provenite

About Morganite

Be3Al2Si6O18

Morganite is the pink to orange-pink variety of beryl, coloured by trace manganese. Colour ranges from pink and purplish pink to orangy pink; untreated stones often show an orange component that gives a salmon colour, while strong pink is rare and mostly seen in larger stones. It is strongly pleochroic, so rough is oriented carefully before cutting. Brazilian crystals can exceed 10 kg.

Show 12 localities on the map

Photos of Morganite

Euhedral gemmy pink morganite crystal of about 4.4 cm from the White Queen Mine, Pala.
Morganite · White Queen Mine
Euhedral gemmy pink morganite crystal of about 4.4 cm from the White Queen Mine, Pala.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Sharp hexagonal pink morganite crystal of 4 cm on crystallized mica-quartz matrix, Darra-i-Pech.
Morganite · Darra-i-Pech pegmatite field
Sharp hexagonal pink morganite crystal of 4 cm on crystallized mica-quartz matrix, Darra-i-Pech.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Cluster of sharp, gemmy pastel-pink morganite crystals from the Stewart Mine, Pala, ex John Barlow collection.
Morganite · Stewart Mine (Stewart Lithia Mine)
Cluster of sharp, gemmy pastel-pink morganite crystals from the Stewart Mine, Pala, ex John Barlow collection.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Large pink gem morganite crystal from a 1960s find at the Urucum mine, Galileia.
Morganite · Galileia
Large pink gem morganite crystal from a 1960s find at the Urucum mine, Galileia.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Large hexagonal rich pink morganite crystal with mildly etched faces from the Tourmaline Queen Mine, Pala.
Morganite · Tourmaline Queen Mine
Large hexagonal rich pink morganite crystal with mildly etched faces from the Tourmaline Queen Mine, Pala.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Gemmy pink morganite crystal of 5 cm from the Alto Ligonha district, Mozambique.
Morganite · Alto Ligonha pegmatites
Gemmy pink morganite crystal of 5 cm from the Alto Ligonha district, Mozambique.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Naturally etched morganite crystal of about 4 cm with an irregular form from Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais.
Morganite · Virgem da Lapa
Naturally etched morganite crystal of about 4 cm with an irregular form from Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Complete pink morganite crystal of 53 g from the Little Three Mine, Ramona.
Morganite · Little Three Mine
Complete pink morganite crystal of 53 g from the Little Three Mine, Ramona.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source

Where Morganite is found (12)

Afghanistan

Brazil

Mozambique

United States

Identity

Variety of
Beryl
Also called
Pink beryl
Strunz
9 Silicates
IMA status
Variety
Name origin
Named after the American financier J. P. Morgan, a gem collector; introduced to the market by Tiffany & Co. after its discovery in Madagascar in 1910
Elements
Be, Al, Si, O

Physical properties

Color
Pale pink, purplish pink, peach to orangy pink (salmon); never dark in tone
Streak
White
Luster
Vitreous luster
Transparency
Variable
Mohs hardness
7.5–8
Density
2.63–2.97 g/cm³
Cleavage / fracture
Imperfect cleavage on {0001}; conchoidal to uneven fracture; brittle

Crystallography

Crystal system
Hexagonal
Space group
P6/mcc
Typical habit
Prismatic to tabular hexagonal crystals, often short and tabular with pyramid modifications (beryl habits)
Twinning
Rare
Optical data
Uniaxial (-); nω = 1.567-1.610, nε = 1.565-1.599 for beryl, rising with alkali content; strongly pleochroic in pale pink and deeper bluish pink

Formation and use

Formation
Beryl forms in granites and granite pegmatites, with quartz, feldspar, muscovite, lepidolite, spodumene, amblygonite and tourmaline; morganite comes from pegmatites and from alluvial deposits derived from them.
Uses
Gemstone; mineral specimens
Stability and care
Heat and light remove the yellow component of peach beryl, so morganite is commonly heated to obtain a pinker colour; irradiation is occasionally used but the resulting colour fades in light. Hardness 7.5-8 and wearability are good; warm water, mild detergent and a soft brush are safe, while mechanical cleaning should only be used on stones free of fractures.

Related minerals

Related minerals
BerylEmeraldAquamarine

Sources

  1. SRC-266 · Book
    Handbook of Mineralogy - BerylAnthony, J.W.; Bideaux, R.A.; Bladh, K.W.; Nichols, M.C. · 2001 · Mineralogical Society of America / Mineral Data Publishing
  2. SRC-840 · Website
    What Is Morganite Gemstone | Morganite Stone - GIAGemological Institute of America · GIA Gem Encyclopedia
  3. SRC-841 · Website
    Morganite Value, Price, and Jewelry InformationArem, J.E.; Clark, D.; Smigel, B. · 2025 · International Gem Society

Draft data from the Provenite workbook. Check entries against the cited sources before relying on them. Photos are open-licence images from Wikimedia Commons; the author and licence are given with each photo.