Red Beryl

Very rare and seldom seen as a cut stone, red beryl nonetheless has an unusually intense colour due to the presence of manganese.
Found in rhyolites in the Thomas Mountains and Wah Wah Mountains in Utah in the USA.
Red beryl is also called bixbite (not to be confused with bixbyite, a manganese-iron oxide).

Properties

Chemical Composition: Beryllium aluminium silicate

Crystal System / Forms: Hexagonal

Hardness: 7.5

Specific Gravity: 2.80

Lustre: Vitreous

Refractive Index / Birefringence: 1.58-1.59 / 0.008

Sources: Utah (USA)

Cuts & Uses: Brilliant, Mixed