Heliodor

Heliodor (also spelt as helidor), a beryllium aluminum silicate is a golden yellow or golden green variety of beryl. The golden color is due to the presence of iron in place of aluminum in the structure of the crystal. In the gem world "golden beryl" is its other name. Sometimes it also contain a trace amount of uranium which make it slightly radioactive.

The name has been derived from a Greek word which mean "gift from the sun." It was discovered in Namibia in the year 1910 in a pegmatite. Today, the deposits of heliodor are found in Minas Gerais and Goias in Brazil, the Ukraine in Russia, and Connecticut and Maine. The Russia's deposit is the best with deep gold color where as the stones from Brazil are usually lighter in color.

Heliodor is the astral stone for Gemini and Scorpio and birthstone for the month of November. Its specific gravity is 2.8 and hardness 7.5 on Mohs scale.

According to believes, it improves communication quality and make one compassionate and sympathetic to others. It stabilizes the heartbeat and helps in the treatment of stomach and small intestines disorders. It also treats liver, spleen and pancreas problems.