Just learned that the largest single crystal ever found is a beryl from Madagascar over 18 meters long.

I was reading a geology textbook from the 70s in my local library and found that fact on page 213, which seems wild for something that grew underground.

3 comments

3 Comments

bettykim4d ago

Did you know they found a crystal cave in Mexico with giant selenite columns?

mia_park4d ago

Doubt that record still stands. Geology textbooks get outdated fast. The Naica Cave in Mexico has selenite crystals way bigger than 18 meters, some over 11 meters wide. They found those in 2000. An 18-meter beryl is impressive for its shape, but for sheer mass, those gypsum monsters win.

jade8854d ago

Wait, isn't beryl the mineral family that includes emeralds? An 18 meter long emerald would be insane, but I guess it's probably not gem quality. Still, how does something that big even form without breaking? The textbook fact is cool, but I wonder if they've found bigger ones since the 70s.