Mineralogy
Beryllium metallurgy

There are some forty beryllium-containing minerals, all of which are more or less complex compounds. Only a few of these minerals have any actual or potential commercial value (table 8), with the exception of precious varieties such as emerald and aquamarine. However, given that beryllium can replace silicon by substitution in the crystal lattice, a further fifty or so occurrences must be added [31].

Only beryl (14.0% BeO) and bertrandite (42.4% BeO) have an industrial outlet. Other minerals, such as barylite (15.4 to 15.8% BeO), chrysoberyl (16.7 to 19.7% BeO) and phenacite (44.0 to 45.6% BeO), despite their often high BeO content, do not yield ores with exploitable grades.

The...