Also known as Red Emerald and Scarlet Emerald, bixbite is considered by many gemologists to be the rarest member of the beryl family. It’s hard to argue with that when looking at the data: the Utah Geological Survey estimates that there is one bixbite crystal for every 150,000 gem-quality diamonds! This mineral is also a thousand times rarer than gold. It’s no wonder, then, that it is one of the most desired and sought-after gemstones on Earth.
What is bixbite beryl?
Red beryl, formerly known as bixbite (from English), is an extremely rare variety of beryl, as well as one of the rarest minerals on Earth. Bixbite occurs in siliceous volcanic rocks, crystallizing under conditions of low pressure and high temperature along cracks and cavities in rocks in porous areas near magma. It coexists with hematite, topaz, spessartine, garnet, and orthoclase. Bixbite is characterized by durability and hardness, reaching 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale.
The gem gets its red color from manganese ions embedded within beryllium aluminum silicate crystals, but traces of iron, chromium, and calcium also contribute to the unique shades of red in the gem, such as gooseberry, strawberry, bright ruby, cherry, and orange. The largest discovered red beryl crystals are about 2 cm wide and 5 cm long. However, most gem-quality crystals are under 1 cm in length, and most faceted beryl stones weigh 0.25 carats or less.
Geographical occurrence of bixbite
First described in 1904, the stone was named in honor of the legendary gemologist Maynard Bixby, who is considered the first discoverer of this rare mineral. Bixbite beryl occurs in very few regions of the world.The clusters discovered so far (located within rhyolite, that is, acidic volcanic rocks formed as a result of volcanic activity) are in the Thomas Mountains in the state of Utah; the crystal has also been found in several localities in the western part of the United States (Paramount Canyon, Round Mountain, and Juab County) as well as in Catron and Sierra Counties in New Mexico. The largest cluster of gem-quality red beryl comes from the Ruby-Violet Claim in the Wah Wah Mountains, in the central-western area of the state of Utah.The discovery of this cluster is thanks to Lamar Hodges, who came across these beautiful stones in 1958.
Although it is now said that all biksbit mines are running out, a discovery of the mineral was recently made in Afghanistan.
Synthetic biksbit
Synthetic bixbite provides a unique opportunity for collectors to own this gemstone. By using controlled conditions, laboratory-created red beryl possesses amazing quality and a rich, saturated color comparable to the natural mineral. The laboratory-created synthetic gem also shares practically all the chemical, optical, and physical characteristics of its natural counterpart.
How is synthetic bixbite made?
First of all, thanks to the hydrothermal growth process, which is a well-known method of creating gemstones by replicating the natural processes occurring in the Earth. By applying heat and pressure in a controlled period of time, stones made using this method are very similar to naturally occurring bixbite. Seed crystals are introduced into a solution made from the chemical components of bixbite and support the growth of synthetic stones. The required time can be long; the more time spent on crystal growth, the larger the stones are. In most cases, this process takes from nine months to two years, depending on the desired size of the material.
Bixbite Jewelry
As mentioned above, large sizes and high-quality stones are hard to find. According to the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, a cut 2-carat red beryl is considered as rare as a 40-carat diamond, and the largest known faceted red beryl is 8 carats. According to GIA, only about 10 percent of stones from the Wah Wah region in Utah, the largest known concentration of bixbite, are of sufficient quality to be faceted. The demand for raspberry-red beryl stones far exceeds their supply, making bixbite jewelry so valuable and unique.
Your bixbite jewelry from the 79 Diamonds workshop
Our custom gold jewelry is created with passion and love for craftsmanship, and we approach each project individually. Fulfill the dreams of yourself and your loved ones by ordering unique jewelry with bixbite and other gemstones. Contact our jewelry designer and give yourself or your loved ones an extraordinary gift.