A list of the Gemstones found in Pegmatites

Triphylite found in a cavity in pegmatite in Newry, Maine. This is a rare gemstone
Photo by Rob Lavinsky

The most common gemstones found in pegmatites are beryl, topaz and tourmaline according to the experts there are over 100 other minerals that are found in pegmatites that are used as gemstones. The following list is of some of the many other gemstones that are found in pegmatites. Finding all the gemstones listed here will probably keep you busy for the rest of your life.

The other gemstones found in pegmatites

Name              Color               Mineral           Abundance      Pegmatite Type

achroite            c                      tourmaline        rare                  LCT

albite                g                      feldspar            common           NYF & LCT

amazonite         g                      feldspar            common           NYF > LCT    

amblygonite      y – c                amblygonite      rare                  LCT

aquamarine       b-g                  beryl                 common           LCT

beryllonite         c, pl & y         beryllonite         very rare           LCT

brazilianite        y-g                  brazilianite         very rare           LCT

chrysoberyl       g – y               chrysoberyl        very rare           LCT

danburite          c, y                  danburite            rare                  LCT

elbaite              c, p, g, b           tourmaline         common           LCT

euclase             b – g                euclase               very rare           LCT

fluoapatite         b, p, pur, g      apatite                common           NYF < LCT

goshenite          c                      beryl                  common           NYF < LCT    

hambergite        c, pl, y             hambergite        very rare           NYF & LCT

heliodor            y                      beryl                  rare                  NYF & LCT

hiddenite           g – y                 spodumene       very rare           LCT

hydroxlherderite  c, pl, y, b       hydroxyl “         very rare           LCT

indicolite           bl                     tourmaline         common           LCT

jeremejevite      b                      jeremejevite        very rare          LCT

kunzite              p                      beryl                   rare                 LCT

lazulite              b                      lazulite                rare                 LCT

lepidolite           pur – p             mica                 common           LCT

liddicoatite        p – r                 tourmaline        very rare           LCT

londonite          y – c                 londonite          very rare           LCT

manganotantalite  r                    m-tantalite        very rare           LCT

microlite           y, c-br              microlite            rare                  LCT

montebrasite     c, pl, p-y          montebrasite      rare                  LCT

morganite         p – o                beryl                  rare                  LCT

oligoclase         c                      plagioclase        common           NYF & LCT

petalite             c                      petalite               rare                  LCT

pezzottaite        r                       beryl                 very rare           LCT

phenakite          c, p, y               phenekite          rare                  LCT

pollucite            c                      Pollucite           rare                  LCT

quartz               c, p, sm, pur     quartz               common          NYF & LCT

rhodozite          y-c                   rhodozite          very rare           LCT

rossmanite        p-r, c, g            tourmaline        very rare           LCT

rubelite p-c                               tourmailine       very rare           LCT

sanidine            y, c                   feldspar           common           LCT

simpsonite        y, o                  simpsonite        very rare           LCT

spessertine        o                      garnet               common           LCT

spodumene       c-g                   spodumene       common           LCT

stibiotantalite     y                     stibiotantalite     very rare          LCT

topaz                b-c-p                topaz                 common          NYF & LCT

triplite               r, br, p             triplite               common          NYF

triphyllite           b-g                 triphyllite           rare                  LCT

verdelite           g                      tourmaline         rare                  LCT

zircon               c, p, br, g         zircon                common          NYF & LCT

Abbreviations: c, colorless; g, green; y, yellow; b, blue; p, pink; r, red; o, orange;

br, brown; pur, purple; sm, smokey; pl, pale.

After V.B. Simmons Gem bearing Pegmatites in Geology of Gem Deposits, Editor Lee A. Groat, Yukon Geological Survey

This list is incomplete, but they are always finding new minerals in pegmatites and some of them are gemstones. Some of them are so rare that only one example is known. The hunt goes on!