Heliodor
Heliodor is Greek for 'gift or present from the sun'. The gemstone is a variety of the beryl species and is yellow-green in colour; the yellow component may vary from a pale yellow to a deep golden yellow.
Some references describe heliodor as 'golden beryl' and in others as 'all colours of yellow beryl'. When heliodor was first introduced as a separate variety of beryl it was not fully accepted. That may be the reason for the variation in the description of heliodor; as found in various references and given by various gem suppliers.
See varieties of Beryl.
Source locations for Heliodor include: Brazil, Madagascar and Namibia.
Properties of the Gemstone and Additional Information
| Gemstone type: | Heliodor is a variety of the species beryl. |
| Crystal System: | Hexagonal |
| Chemical Composition: | Beryllium aluminium silicate - Be3Al2(SiO3)6 |
| Colour: | Light to darker yellow-green. Descriptions vary. |
| Lustre: | Vitreous |
| Pleochroism: | Dichroic: distinct |
| Dispersion: | Low |
| Hardness: | 71/2 - 8 on the Mohs' scale. |
| Toughness: | Fair |
| Cleavage: | Very imperfect. |
| Density in gm/cc: |
2.68 to 2.74 |
| Double refraction: | Yes |
| Refractive index: | 1.564 - 1.596 |
Common Treatments
Pale material may be irradiated to improve the deepen colour.