Alexandrite
A variety of Chrysoberyl
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About Alexandrite
Tsar Alexander II
Formula:
BeAl2O4
Name:
Named in 1842 by Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld in honor of Alexander II (29 April 1818, Moscow, Russia - 13 March 1881, Saint Petersburg, Russia), Czar of Russia from 1855 to 1881.
Alexandrite is a green Cr-bearing variety of chrysoberyl (intermediate member of Chrysoberyl-Mariinskite series) that exhibits a color change in natural and artificial light from green to amethystine (Alexandrite effect).
Originally reported from Emerald mines (Izumrudnye Kopi; Malyshevskoye deposit), Malyshevo, Ekaterinburg (Yekaterinburg; Sverdlovsk), Sverdlovskaya Oblast', Urals Region, Russia.
Effective substitution of Fe3+ on the mirror-symmetry site has a strong effect on the Cr3+ lifetime, with Cr being responsible for the color effects.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Alexandrite.
Originally reported from Emerald mines (Izumrudnye Kopi; Malyshevskoye deposit), Malyshevo, Ekaterinburg (Yekaterinburg; Sverdlovsk), Sverdlovskaya Oblast', Urals Region, Russia.
Effective substitution of Fe3+ on the mirror-symmetry site has a strong effect on the Cr3+ lifetime, with Cr being responsible for the color effects.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Alexandrite.Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
109 (as Alexandrite)
1039 (as Chrysoberyl)
1039 (as Chrysoberyl)
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:109:6 (as Alexandrite)
mindat:1:1:1039:5 (as Chrysoberyl)
mindat:1:1:1039:5 (as Chrysoberyl)
Similar Names
Pronunciation of Alexandrite
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Chemistry of Alexandrite
Mindat Formula:
BeAl2O4
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Synonyms of Alexandrite
Other Language Names for Alexandrite
German:Alexandrit
Spanish:Alexandrita
Varieties of Alexandrite
| Tasmanian alexandrite | Alexandrite (chrysoberyl) of good gem quality from Tasmania, Australia. |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 28 photos of Alexandrite associated with Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 11 photos of Alexandrite associated with Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| 9 photos of Alexandrite associated with Chrysoberyl | BeAl2O4 |
| 8 photos of Alexandrite associated with Clinochlore | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 8 photos of Alexandrite associated with 'Emerald' | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| 7 photos of Alexandrite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
| 6 photos of Alexandrite associated with Corundum | Al2O3 |
| 5 photos of Alexandrite associated with 'Ruby' | Al2O3 |
| 5 photos of Alexandrite associated with 'Sapphire' | Al2O3 |
| 4 photos of Alexandrite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Alexandrite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-109.html
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References for Alexandrite
Reference List:
Farrell, E. F., Newnham, R. E. (1965) Crystal-field spectra of chrysoberyl, alexandrite, peridot and sinhalite. American Mineralogist, 50 (11-12) 1972-1981
Hassemer, Russell (1974) Alexandrite. Rocks & Minerals, 49 (7) 444-445 doi:10.1080/00357529.1974.11762263
Liu, Yan, Shigley, James E., Fritsch, Emmanuel, Hemphill, Scott (1995) Relationship between the crystallographic orientation and the ‘alexandrite effect’ in synthetic alexandrite. Mineralogical Magazine, 59 (394) 111-114 doi:10.1180/minmag.1995.59.394.10
Weber, Sven-Ulf, Grodzicki, Michael, Lottermoser, Werner, Redhammer, Günther J., Tippelt, Gerold, Ponahlo, Johann, Amthauer, Georg (2007) 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray single-crystal diffractometry, and electronic structure calculations on natural alexandrite. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 34 (7) 507-515 doi:10.1007/s00269-007-0166-6
Schmetzer, Karl; Malsy, Anna-Kathrin (2011) Alexandrite and colour-change chrysoberyl from the Lake Manyara alexandrite-emerald deposit in northern Tanzania. The Journal of Gemmology, 32 (5). p.179-209. doi:10.15506/jog.2011.32.5.179
Schmetzer, Karl, Hyršl, Jaroslav, Bernhardt, Heinz-Jürgen, Hainschwang, Thomas (2014) Purple to Reddish Purple Chrysoberyl from Brazil. The Journal of Gemmology, 34 (1) 32-40 doi:10.15506/jog.2014.34.1.32
Ollier, Nadège, Fuchs, Yves, Cavani, Olivier, Horn, Adolf Heinrich, Rossano, Stéphanie (2015) Influence of impurities on Cr3+ luminescence properties in Brazilian emerald and alexandrite. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27 (6) 783-792 doi:10.1127/ejm/2015/0027-2484
Trindade, Neilo Marcos, da Cruz, Marcela Rodrigues, Kahn, Henrique, Jacobsohn, Luiz Gustavo, Yoshimura, Elisabeth Mateus (2019) Thermoluminescence and radioluminescence of alexandrite mineral. Journal of Luminescence, 206. 455-461 doi:10.1016/j.jlumin.2018.10.114
Sun, Ziyin; Palke, Aaron C.; Muyal, Jonathan; DeGhionno, Dino; McClure, Shane F. (2019) Geographic Origin Determination of Alexandrite. Gems & Gemology, 55 (4). 660-681 doi:10.5741/gems.55.4.660
Localities for Alexandrite
Showing 52 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Magara mine, Lake Manyara, Arusha Region, Tanzania