Aquamarine is a beryl--a relatively rare silicate mineral found in igneous and metamorphic rocks around the world--and a blue-green sister to the deep green emerald. Other beryl stones include morganite (pink), heliodor (yellow/yellow-green), goshenite (colorless) and maxixe* (deep blue). Aquamarine gems are frequently less included or fractured than emeralds, making larger stones easier to find.Color and clarity are key to the value of gemstone aquamarine (with low grade beryl often refined into the metal beryllium). Color is a defining aspect of this gemstone, which is why most aquamarines are heat-treated to remove yellow tones and enhance the bright blue hues in this stone.The natural blue and green colors of aquamarine come from ferrous iron and metallic ions. Aquamarine gemstones are found in a number of exotic places including Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan and Mozambique, and the most brilliant blue varieties of the gemstones available today come from Brazil.*Maxixe is pronounced "mashish."