Beryllium

beryllium

bertrandite

gadolinite

eudidymite

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Symbol: Be
Beryllium does not occur in the native state.
Its abundance in the Earth's crust is 2.8 parts per million by mass, 4.6 parts per million by moles (ChC). It is the 47th most abundant element in the Earth's crust by mass.

Among the common rock-forming minerals, beryllium content is generally highest in white micas, mostly muscovite, which contain up to 10 ppm beryllium, and cordierite. The principal source materials for the granites that spawn beryllium-bearing pegmatites are the clay and mica-rich marine sediments that form shale. Micas remain abundant through metamorphism up to the high metamorphic grade that produces schists. When such schists reach the pressure-temperature conditions at which they begin to melt, the white micas decompose over a narrow range of temperature, transferring some of their trace elements, including beryllium, to the magmas so formed. Muscovite-rich schists may generate granite magmas containing about 6 ppm beryllium. The processes that crystallise granite and lead to the formation of pegmatites may enrich beryllium sufficiently to saturate the pegmatite-forming magmas in beryl. The beryllium content of a few notable beryl-rich pegmatites can be as high as 205 ppm beryllium (R&M 90.2.138-153).

Beryllium-bearing minerals include:

Oxides - the oxide anion is O^2-
Hydroxides - the hydroxide anion is (OH)^-
Monoborates - with a single boron triangle (BO₃)^3- and/or tetrahedron B(O,OH)₄
Phosphates - the phosphate anion is (P⁵⁺O₄)^3-
Arsenite - the arsenite anion is (As³⁺O₃)^3-
Nesosilicates - insular (Si⁴⁺O₄)^4- groups
Sorosilicate - (Si⁴⁺₂O₇)^6- groups
Cyclosilicates - (Si⁴⁺_nO_3n)^2n- groups
Inosilicates - single chain - (Si⁴⁺_nO_3n)^2n- groups
Inosilicates - multiple chain
Phyllosilicates - (Si⁴⁺₂O₅)^2- groups
Tectosilicate - [Al³⁺_xSi⁴⁺O_yO_(2x+2y)]^x−

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