Beryllium

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Beryllium is classified as an alkaline earth metal on the periodic table. The periodic table arranges chemical elements into periods (rows) and groups (columns). The element beryllium is in period 2 and group 2. Its atomic number is 4 and its symbol is Be.

In addition to beryllium, there are 5 other alkaline earth metals: calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium, and radium. These elements share similar properties. They are shiny, silvery-white metals. They react with other elements to form useful compounds. They are good conductors of electricity.

Beryllium is a strong but brittle metal. Beryllium has a sweet taste to it, but due to its toxicity it should never be eaten or sampled. It has no odor. It is silver-grey, lightweight, and nonmagnetic.

Beryllium was discovered by the French chemist Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin in 1798. He found the oxide form of beryllium while studying the mineral beryl.

In 1828, Friedrich Wöhler, a German chemist, successfully produced metallic beryllium. He did this by heating beryllium chloride with potassium.

The same year in France, Antoine Bussy made beryllium metal using a similar technique. Some beryllium compounds taste sweet. So, Bussy wanted to name his discovery ‘glucinium’, derived from the Greek word glykis which refers to sweetness.

The name beryllium comes from the Greek word beryllos referring to the blue-green color of the sea. It was named by Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin who first identified it in the mineral beryl.

Beryl comes in various shades of green, blue, yellow, and pink. Trace elements, such as iron, chromium, and manganese, affect the color of minerals. For instance, iron causes aquamarine color to range from pale blue to deep blue. Iron gives heliodor a golden yellow color. The presence of chromium creates green hues in emeralds. Pink in morganite comes from traces of manganese.

Beryllium exists mostly in its oxide form. It is found in 30 mineral species including: beryllonite, heulandite, chrysoberyl, and phenakite. The mineral beryl is the most significant source of beryllium. Gems, such as emeralds and aquamarine, contain beryllium. In 1992, scientists discovered beryllium in old stars on the edge of the Milky Way galaxy.

China, Brazil, and Russia have beryllium-rich mineral deposits. Spor Mountain in Utah is a primary source of beryllium in the United States.

Did You Know?

• It is not known to be useful or necessary for plant or animal life.
• It usually used as hardening for metals.
• It does not rust at room temperature. Beryllium is one of the lightest metals and has one of the highest melting points of light metals. Because of these properties, it is used in electronics, high speed aircraft, missiles, and other aerospace applications.

Beryllium is used to make non-sparking tools, such as wrenches and screwdrivers. Non-sparking tools are made from beryllium alloys of bronze or copper. They reduce the risk of sparks igniting gases or vapors in the workplace.

Because beryllium reacts with the alpha particles released by polonium to produce neutrons, it is used in A-bomb initiators. It does not react with acid and uranium, so it is used to make nuclear generators.

An important use of beryllium is on the James Watt Space Telescope. Its beryllium mirrors maintain their shape at extremely low temperatures. The mirrors collect light from faint and distant objects. Pictures are sent back to Earth. Scientists study these pictures to understand how stars and galaxies are created.

Beryllium is poisonous to humans, It should be handled with care and never tasted or inhaled. It poses moderate-to-high risk of health problems such as lung disease, Chronic Beryllium Disease, and various skin problems.

Beryllium is harmful to humans if ingested or inhaled in significant amounts. As a heavy metal pollutant, it is toxic to plants.