Sunday, November 1, 2026

Question: What gemstone, found high on Mount Antero, became Colorado’s official state gemstone in 1971?

Answer: Aquamarine. The gemstone is a blue-to-green variety of the mineral beryl, and it is mined at high altitudes (above 14,000 feet) in the Sawatch Range, primarily around Mount Antero and White Mountain in Chaffee County. Mount Antero is home to the highest-elevation gem deposits and mines in North America.