Tiffany Stone (Bertrandite) Slabs from Utah

Bertrandite is more commonly called Tiffany Stone. It is an opalite (common opal), and often has a soft rind. Fine quality tiffany stone has purple coloration and can even be a pure dark, translucent purple color.

Tiffany Stone comes from one locality in Utah. The mine is no longer open for collecting and all of this beautiful material is now ground up for beryllium ore. The beryllium content in tiffany stone is locked up in a silicated compound, much like the beryl minerals aquamarine and emerald. Because of the compounded nature of the beryllium in these minerals, it is like any other agate or opalite and not hazardous to cut and polish . However, the dust from pure industrial beryllium, metallic alloys of beryllim or ceramic beryllium is toxic and very dangerous to breathe.

Most opalites can contain some fractures, as does tiffany stone. Some uneven hardness can be encountered in this material, but tiffany stone generally cuts easily and takes a fine polish with diamond, tin or cerium oxide. Mohs hardness is 5 to 6.

Ruler is in Inches.


Example of Tiffany Stone Cabochons

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