Aquamarine is an azure or sea blue beryl. It is called ‘blue crystal’ in the gem industry in China. Aquamarine, emerald and some green gems are all beryl crystals with limpid transparency. The bright blue hue is its main characteristic, which comes from trace Fe2+. Some aquamarine stones in the market are actually beryl that has been subjected to heat to alter the colour. Certification by professionals is crucial in purchasing. Famous aquamarine production areas include Brazil and Russia, and China’s Xinjiang and Yunnan Provinces also mine this mineral (Fig. 22).
Aquamarine crystal
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(2020). Aquamarine. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_80
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