Guide to the Elements - Beryllium

(12/12/2008) - Beryllium, a trace metal that is found in concentrations of less than 3 ppm in the Earth’s crust, isn’t a household name.  The most familiar beryllium compounds are probably the gemstones aquamarine and emerald.  Pure beryllium is used to make strong copper alloys important in telecommunications, computer parts, and as a neutron source. 

What is Beryllium? - Beryllium is a light metal with four protons and only one stable isotope (9Be).  It is useful in industry because it has high thermal conductivity, a third higher elasticity than steel, and is non-magnetic.  If Earth were ever invaded by acid spitting insects, such as the Zerg Hydralisk, our soldiers would be smart to beryllium armor because it would be light and resistant to nitric-acid attacks.

Where does Beryllium come from? - The USGS says that 79% of world production comes from a single mining area – Spor Mountain in Utah.  In 2006, this mine produced about a hundred metric tons.  China produced twenty tons, Mozambique six tons, and the rest of the world just one.  It’s not clear to me whether or not the USGS is counting beryllium ore (which contains many other minerals) or just beryllium.  Either way, not much beryllium is mined compared to many other metals (iron, copper, aluminum, lead, titanium, etc.).

Beryllium is found in about thirty mineral compounds.  Most industry-ready beryllium is made by reducing beryllium fluoride with magnesium at high temperatures, producing beryllium and magnesium floride. 

Known deposits of beryllium have been estimated at more than 80,000 tons, giving the world an 800 year supply at current depletion rates.  Since demand isn’t very high, there are likely large amounts of beryllium we haven’t bothered to find.  About 65% of these resources is in nonpegmatite deposits in the United States.  The Spor Mountain and Gold Hill areas in Utah, and the Seward Peninsula area in Alaska account for most of the total.

What is Beryllium used for? - Beryllium is primarily used in metal alloys.  One of the more popular alloys is copper-beryllium, which contains anywhere from 0.5% to 3% beryllium and possibly other metals as well.  This alloy is used to make non-sparking tools, springs that need to maintain their shape, and high-end percussion instruments like tambourine. 

According to the USGS, 45% of beryllium is used in computer and telecommunications products.  The remainder is used in aerospace and defense applications, appliances, automotive electronics, industrial components, and other applications.

Can Beryllium be recycled? – Yes.  According to the USGS: “Beryllium was recycled mostly from new scrap generated during the manufacture of beryllium products.  Detailed data on the quantities of beryllium recycled are not available, but may represent as much as 10% of apparent consumption.”  Given Beryllium’s natural abundance in comparison to demand, its not a surprise that recycling rates are not higher. 

Does Beryllium present any environmental concerns? - Beryllium is very toxic.  Though it is not necessarily dangerous in mineral compounds such as beryl gemstones, it is a human carcinogen when its dust is inhaled.  As a result, care must be shown when handling and processing it.  However, swallowing beryllium causes little harm.  Overall, beryllium poses very little threat to the environment or to people besides those who work with it directly.

(Image Credits: Wikipedia)