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Beryllite

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Big Photo

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

Show Beryllite Photos (10)



Formula:
Be
 
3
(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
 · 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
(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
 · 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(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
9.AE.15Sverigeite
NaMnMgSnBe
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
9.AE.20Hodgkinsonite
Mn
2+
 
Zn
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
9.AE.25Gerstmannite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)Zn(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
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
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
20
9.AE.45Yeatmanite
Zn
 
6
Mn
2+
9
Sb
5+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
4
O
 
12
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
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(OH)
 
2
14.3.4Liberite
Li
 
2
BeSiO
 
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
 
7
,HSi
 
2
O
 
7
)
14.3.10Semenovite-(Ce)
Na
 
8
Ca
 
2
FeBe
 
6
Ce
 
2
Si
 
14
O
 
40
(OH)
 
4
F
 
4
14.3.11Barylite
Be
 
2
Ba(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)
14.3.12Hingganite-(Ce)
(Ce,REE)
 
2
(□,Fe
2+
 
)Be
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
2
(OH)
 
2
14.3.13Hingganite-(Yb)
(Yb,Y,REE)
 
2
□Be
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
2
(OH)
 
2
14.3.14Hingganite-(Y)
(Y,REE,Ca)
 
2
(□,Fe
2+
 
)Be
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
2
(OH)
 
2
14.3.15Minasgeraisite-(Y)
CaBe
 
2
Y
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
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
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
14.3.22Joesmithite
{Pb}{Ca
 
2
}{Mg
 
3
Fe
3+
2
}(Be
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
22
)(OH)
 
2
14.3.23Gadolinite-(Y)
Y
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Be
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
14.3.24Gadolinite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Nd,Y)
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Be
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
14.3.25Calciogadolinite-(Y)
(YCa)
 
2
Fe
3+
 
Be
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
2
O
 
2

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.

Internet Links for Beryllite

Search Engines:
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    • External Links:
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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Beryllite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
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  • Find Beryllite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
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    • Localities for Beryllite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Hide Locality List
    (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
    		Petersen, O., Giester, G., Brandstätter, F., Niedermayr, G. (2002): Nabesite, a new mineral species from the Ilimaussaq alkaline complex, Canadian Mineralogist, Vol. 40, 173-181
    Cole, M. (2003): Fluorescent Minerals of the Ilimaussaq Complex, Greenland, MinerShop 2003
          • Tasseq area
    		www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/beryllite.pdf
    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
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