The Maršíkov–Schinderhübel III pegmatite in the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains, Silesian Domain, Czech Republic, is a classic example of chrysoberyl-bearing LCT granitic pegmatite of beryl–columbite subtype. This thin pegmatite dyke, (up to 1 m in thickness in biotite–amphibole gneiss is characterised by symmetrical internal zoning. Tabular and prismatic chrysoberyl crystals (≤3 cm) occur typically in the intermediate albite-rich unit and rarely in the quartz core. Chrysoberyl microtextures are quite complex; their crystals are irregularly patchy, concentric or fine oscillatory zoned with large variations in Fe content (1.1–5.3 wt.% Fe2O3; ≤0.09 apfu). Chrysoberyl compositions reveal dominant Fe3+ = Al3+ and minor Fe2+ + Ti4+ = 2(Al, Fe)3+ substitution mechanisms in the octahedral sites. Tin, Ga, and V (determined by LA-ICP-MS) are characteristic trace elements incorporated in the chrysoberyl structure, whereas anomalously high Ta and Nb concentrations (thousands ppm) in chrysoberyl are probably caused by nano- to micro-inclusions of Nb–Ta oxide minerals; especially columbite–tantalite. Textural relationships between associated minerals, distinct schistosity of the pegmatite parallel to the host gneiss foliation and fragmentation of the pegmatite body into blocks as a result of superimposed stress are clear evidence for deformation and metamorphic overprinting of the pegmatite. Primary magmatic beryl, albite and muscovite were transformed to chrysoberyl, fibrolitic sillimanite, secondary quartz and muscovite during a high-temperature (~600°C) and medium-pressure (~250–500 MPa) prograde metamorphic stage under amphibolite-facies conditions. A subsequent retrograde, low-temperature (~200–500°C) and pressure (≤250 MPa) metamorphic stage resulted in the local alteration of chrysoberyl to secondary Fe,Na-rich beryl, euclase, bertrandite and late muscovite.

The beryllium silicate minerals phenakite and bertrandite have been identified in granitic pegmatite dykes of the beryl-columbite subtype of Variscan age (~340−355 Ma), associated with S- to I-type granitic rocks of the Tatric Superunit, Western Carpathians (Slovakia). The two beryllium silicates and associated minerals were characterised by electron microprobe analysis, back-scattered electron petrography and cathodoluminescence imagery, X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman techniques. Phenakite and bertrandite form euhedral-to-anhedral crystals and aggregates in irregular domains and veinlets replacing primary magmatic beryl. A detailed textural study revealed a close genetic association of phenakite and bertrandite with secondary fine-grained quartz, K-feldspar and muscovite. Locally, clay phyllosilicate minerals, (with compositions similar to those of Fe-dominant hydrobiotite, beidellite, nontronite and saponite) occur as the youngest minerals. During the post-magmatic (hydrothermal) stage of the pegmatites, infiltration of aqueous K-bearing fluids at T ≈ 200–400°C resulted in the breakdown of magmatic beryl to secondary assemblages containing phenakite and bertrandite.

Beryl from Xuebaoding, Sichuan Province, western China is known for its unusual tabular habit and W–Sn–Be paragenesis in a greisen-type deposit. The crystals are typically colourless transparent to pale blue, often with screw dislocations of hexagonal symmetry on the (0001) crystal faces. Combining electron microprobe analyses and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), correlated with Raman and micro-infrared (IR) spectroscopy and imaging, the crystal chemical characteristics are determined. The contents of Na+ (0.24–0.38 atoms per formula unit (apfu)) and Li+ up to 0.38 apfu are at the high end compared to beryl from other localities worldwide. Li+ substitution for Be2+ on the tetrahedral (T2) site is predominantly charge balanced by Na+ on the smaller channel (C2) site, with Na+ ranging from 91.5% to 99.7% (apfu) of the sum of all other alkali elements. Cs+ and minor Rb+ and K+ primarily charge balance the minor M2+ substitution for Al3+ at the A site; all iron at the A site is suggested to be trivalent. The a axis ranges from 9.2161(2) to 9.2171(4) Å, with unit-cell volume from 678.03(3) to 678.48(7) Å3. The c/a ratio of 1.0002–1.0005 is characteristic for T2-type beryl with unit-cell parameters controlled primarily by Be2+ substitution. Transmission micro-IR vibrational spectroscopy and imaging identifies coordination of one or two water molecules to Na+ (type IIs and type IId, respectively) as well as alkali free water (type I). Based on IR absorption cross section and XRD a C1 site water content of 0.4–0.5 apfu is derived, i.e. close to 50% site occupancy. Secondary crystal phases with a decrease in Fe and Mg, yet increase in Na, suggest early crystallisation of aquamarine, with goshenite being late. With similar crystal chemistry to beryl of columnar habit from other localities worldwide, the tabular habit of Xuebaoding beryl seems to be unrelated to chemical composition and alkali content.

The onset of melting of beryl + H2O was determined experimentally in the P-T range 10–25 kbar, 900 to 1200°C, by synthesis runs on the composition Al2Be3Si6O18. Beryl begins to melt incongruently to chrysoberyl, phenakite, and melt at temperatures slightly above 1000°C. At higher temperatures a divariant stability field exists where beryl, chrysoberyl, phenakite, and melt coexist due to the solubility of H2O in beryl and in the melt. The final disappearance of beryl was bracketed between 1050 and 1100°C at 10 kbar and at 1100°C between 10 and 20 kbar. The phases (analysed for Al and Si by electron microprobe) do not show major deviation from stoichiometric composition.

A deposit of chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4), including the variety alexandrite, occurs near Dowerin, in the southwestern region of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. The deposit is situated in the northern part of the Lake Grace Terrain, a crustal component of the southwestern Yilgarn Craton, in granulite-facies gneisses (2640–2649 Ma; T = 700°C, P <6 kbar) adjacent to the margin of the Kellerberrin Batholith (2587±25 Ma). Beryllium mineralization at Dowerin occurs in plagioclase-quartz-biotite-garnet gneiss and cross-cutting tourmaline-plagioclase veins situated adjacent to lenses of actinolite-cummingtonite-phlogopite schist. Crystals of chrysoberyl (0.15–1.74 wt.% Cr2O3; 2.25–3.23 wt.% FeO; trace–0.13 wt.% ZnO; SiO2 <0.05 wt.%) are found embedded in almandine or plagioclase, and closely intergrown with biotite and/or zincian hercynite in the host-rock gneiss. Minor Cr and Fe in the alexandrite variety of chrysoberyl were possibly derived from associated zincian hercynite and/or almandine. Trace beryl (0.04–0.20 wt.% Cr2O3; 0.54–0.71 wt.% FeO; trace– 0.22 wt.% Na2O; 0.1–0.71 wt.% MgO) occurs as anhedral interstital grains between crystals of chrysoberyl, plagioclase and biotite, and as rare inclusions in chrysoberyl. Textural and mineral chemical evidence suggests that chrysoberyl and zincian spinels (chromite to hercynite containing from 2–8 wt.% ZnO) formed during granulite-facies regional metamorphism and probably pre-dated the formation of metamorphic tourmaline-plagioclase veins during the same metamorphic episode. The Be, B and Zn required to form chrysoberyl, beryl, tourmaline and zincian spinels may have been released by metamorphic reactions in host-rock metapelites during prograde granulite-facies metamorphism.

Preliminary geological work on samples from Davdar in China indicate that emerald occurs in quartz veins hosted within upper greenschist grade Permian metasedimentary rocks including quartzite, marble, phyllite and schist. Fluid inclusion studies indicate highly saline fluids ranging from approximately 34 to 41 wt.% NaCl equivalent, with minimal amounts of CO2 estimated at a mole fraction of 0.003. Fluid inclusion, stable isotope and petrographic studies indicate the Davdar emeralds crystallized from highly saline brines in greenschist facies conditions at a temperature of ∼350°C and a pressure of up to 160 MPa. The highly saline fluid inclusions in the emeralds, the trace-element chemistry and stable isotope signatures indicate that the Davdar emeralds have some similarities to the Khaltaro and Swat Valley emerald deposits in Pakistan, but they show the greatest similarity to neighbouring deposits at Panjshir in Afghanistan.

The colours of natural and synthetic beryl (ideally Be3Al2Si6O18) have been attributed either tothe presence of chromophore ions partially replacing Al and/or Be (Cr3+, Fe2+/3+, Mn2+) or to the occurrence of colour centres related to the presence of multi-atomic groups. However, no full explanation has been proposed for the blue colour in natural beryl gemstones (aquamarine) despite it being well established that bluish-green synthetic aquamarines containing Fe turn blue when heated for 1 h at 400°C.

A X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) study at the Fe K-edge was performed on blue beryl crystals from Licungo pegmatite (Mozambique) to ascertain the speciation state of this colouring element, reported in blue sapphire (ideally Al2O3) as a mixture of Fe2+ and Fe3+ in octahedral coordination. The general trend of the spectra is the same when synchrotron radiation (SR) impinges along the c axis of the hexagonal crystal, as well as along the a axis with c vertical. Conversely, a shoulder in the absorption edge is noticed when the incident beam is perpendicular to c, with this axis horizontal in the polarization plane of the SR beam, a reverse in the relative intensities of the two post-edge features is simultaneously observed. Pre-edge features accounting for Fe speciation (valence plus coordination) are identical in all three situations. Considering previous approaches which account for polarization, an explanation is suggested for the special effects observed on the Fe K-edge XANES spectra of analysed blue beryl crystals. Ideas on the origin of the blue colour of this mineral are also presented.

Deep azure-blue beryl is reported from veins in Upper Devonian conglomerate from southeast Ireland. Microprobe analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy and loss on ignition suggest an unusual chemistry with an exceptionally high degree of substitution of Fe and Mg for Al, and extreme amounts of Na and water held within channel sites in the structure. The calculated structural formula is:

Refractive indices (1.603 and 1.595) and the cell edge, a, (9.292 Å) are also unusually high. Colourless beryl from the same locality, some of which forms cores to blue beryl prisms, has less octahedral substitution and a lower Fe/Mg ratio. The origin of the beryl is tentatively linked to contemporaneous volcanic activity.

Imazethapyr at 0.07 and 0.10 kg ai ha-1 applied preplant incorporated (PPI), preemergence (PRE), and postemergence (POST) was evaluated at two locations in 1988 and 1989 for safety to dry edible beans. Bean stunting, leaf crinkling, and interveinal chlorosis were evident from imazethapyr and varied from 1 to 57%. Imazethapyr significantly reduced bean height and delayed maturity. PPI and POST applications of imazethapyr at 0.07 and 0.10 kg ha-1 did not reduce bean seed yields compared to yields of the untreated control. Bean cultivar by herbicide interactions were significant for bean injury but varied with year and location.