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Beryllite

Big Photo

Kuannersuit (Kvanefjeld) plateau, Ilimaussaq complex, Narsaq, Kitaa (West Greenland) Province, Greenland
© Knut Eldjarn

Show Beryllite Photos (3)
Formula:
Be
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
Colour:WhiteLustre:Silky
Hardness:1
Name:For the chemical composition.
This page provides mineralogical data about Beryllite.

Classification of Beryllite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered" 1954
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/B.01-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.AE.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
E : Nesosilicates with additional anions (O,OH,F,H2O); cations in tetrahedral [4] coordination
Dana 8th edition ID:52.1.1.1

52 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups and O,OH,F,H2O
1 : Insular SiO4 Groups and O, OH, F, and H2O with cations in [4] coordination
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.3.3

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
3 : Silicates of Be
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Type Occurrence of Beryllite

Type Locality:Natrolite Stock (Pegmatite No. 61), Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia
Year of Discovery:1954

Physical Properties of Beryllite

Lustre:Silky
Colour:White
Hardness (Mohs):1

Optical Data of Beryllite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.541 nβ = 1.553 nγ = 1.560
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.019

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:r > v strong

Chemical Properties of Beryllite

Formula:
Be
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Be, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Be, H, O, Si
Common Impurities:Ti,Al,Fe,Mg,Ca,Na

Relationship of Beryllite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.AE.10Euclase
BeAl[OH|SiO
 
4
]
9.AE.15Sverigeite
NaMnMgSnBe
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
9.AE.20Hodgkinsonite
Mn
2+
 
Zn
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
]
9.AE.25Gerstmannite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)Zn[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
]
9.AE.30Clinohedrite
CaZn[SiO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
9.AE.35Stringhamite
CaCu[SiO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
9.AE.40Katoptrite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
13
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
Sb
5+
2
[O
 
10
|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
9.AE.45Yeatmanite
Mn
2+
7
Zn
 
8
Sb
5+
2
[O
 
3
|SiO
 
4
]
 
4
9.AE.50Sphaerobertrandite
Be
 
3
SiO
 
4
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.3.1Phenakite
Be
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
14.3.2Bertrandite
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.3.4Liberite
Li
 
2
Be[SiO
 
4
]
14.3.5Chkalovite
Na
 
2
BeSi
 
2
O
 
6
14.3.6Eudidymite
Na
 
2
Be
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
15
·H
 
2
O
14.3.7Epididymite
Na
 
2
Be
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
15
·H
 
2
O
14.3.8Gugiaite
Ca
 
2
Be[Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.3.9Jeffreyite
(Ca,Na)
 
2
(Be,Al)[Si
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH)]
14.3.10Semenovite-(Ce)
(Na,Ca)
 
9
Fe
2+
 
(Ce,La)
 
2
[(Si,Be)
 
5
(O,OH,F)
 
12
]
 
4
14.3.11Barylite
BaBe
 
2
[Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.3.12Hingganite-(Ce)
Ce
 
2
□Be
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
(OH)
 
2
14.3.13Hingganite-(Yb)
(Yb,Y)Be[OH|SiO
 
4
]
14.3.14Hingganite-(Y)
(Y,Yb,Er)Be[OH|SiO
 
4
]
14.3.15Minasgeraisite-(Y)
Y
 
2
CaBe
 
2
[O|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
14.3.16Sørensenite
Na
 
4
SnBe
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
(OH)
 
4
14.3.17Trimerite
CaMn
2+
2
Be
 
3
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
14.3.18Chiavennite
CaMnBe
 
2
Si
 
5
O
 
13
(OH)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
14.3.19Tvedalite
(Ca,Mn)
 
4
Be
 
3
Si
 
6
O
 
17
(OH)
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
14.3.20Harstigite
Ca
 
6
(Mn,Mg)Be
 
4
Si
 
6
(O,OH)
 
24
14.3.21Sverigeite
NaMnMgSnBe
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
14.3.22Joesmithite
[(Ca,Pb)][(Ca,Pb)
 
2
][(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|BeSi
 
7
O
 
22
]
14.3.23Gadolinite-(Y)
Y
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Be
 
2
[O|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
14.3.24Gadolinite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Nd,Y)
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Be
 
2
[O|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
14.3.25Calciogadolinite
(Y,Ca)
 
2
(Fe,Fe)Be
 
2
Si
 
2
(O,OH)
 
10

Other Names for Beryllite

Other Languages:
German:Beryllit
Spanish:Beryllita
Varieties:
Metaberyllite

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Beryllite

Reference List:Doklady Akademiia Nauk, SSSR (USSR) (in Russian) (1954): 99: 451.

American Mineralogist (1955): 40: 787.

Andersen, S. (1967) On beryllite and bertrandite from the Ilimaussaq alkaline intrusion, South Greenland. Medd. Gronland, 181(4), 11-26.

Articles/Blogs about Beryllite

Internet Links for Beryllite

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    Localities for Beryllite

    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Greenland
     
    • Kitaa (West Greenland) Province
      • Narsaq
        • Ilimaussaq complex
    		H. Friis et al.: Can. Mineral. 42:95-106 (2004)
    Russia
     
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
    		www.koeln.netsurf.de/~w.steffens/khib.htm
    [var: Metaberyllite]
            • Karnasurt Mt
    		I. Pekov (1998) Minerals First Discovered on the Territory of the former Soviey Union
    Mineral and/or Locality
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