Beryl
Beryl is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate. Well-known varieties of beryl include emerald and aquamarine. Naturally occurring hexagonal crystals of beryl can be up to several meters in size, but terminated crystals are relatively rare.
Pure beryl is colorless, but it is frequently tinted by impurities; possible colors are green, blue, yellow, pink, and red (the rarest).
Distribution
Beryl is a common mineral, and it is widely distributed in nature.
Common beryl, mined as beryllium ore, is found in small deposits in many countries, but the main producers are Russia, Brazil, and the United States.
History of use
When the first eyeglasses were constructed in 13th-century Italy, the lenses were made of beryl (or of rock crystal) as glass could not be made clear enough. Consequently, glasses were named brille in German.
Spiritual uses
In the Hierarchy of Hell, beryl is the stone used to fight against demons from the fourth order, known as the Revengers of Evil.
Beryl is the stone associated with Zuriel, the angel who rules over the zodiac sign of Libra. It is also a form of elemental water.
During the Renaissance, magicians used polish beryl for scrying.
Toxicity
Beryl is a beryllium compound that is a known carcinogen with acute toxic effects leading to pneumonitis when inhaled. Care must thus be used when mining, handling, and refining these gems.