Bromellite, whose name derives from the Swedish chemist Magnus von Bromell (1670-1731), is a white oxide mineral, found in complex pegmatitic manganese-iron deposits, but is more frequently made synthetically. This is a rare mineral to encounter in its natural state, but it has been made synthetically for over 40 years. Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ... General Name, Symbol, Number beryllium, Be, 4 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 2, s Appearance white-gray metallic Atomic mass 9. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 15. ... Color is an important part of the visual arts. ... In mineralogy, shape and size give rise to descriptive terms applied to the typical appearance, or habit of crystals. ... In mineralogy and crystallography, a crystal structure is a unique arrangement of atoms in a crystal. ... Cleavage, in mineralogy, is the tendency of crystalline materials to split along definite planes, creating smooth surfaces, of which there are several named types: Basal cleavage: cleavage parallel to the base of a crystal, or to the plane of the lateral axes. ... A fracture is the separation of a body into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress. ... Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer. ... For the file system called Lustre, see Lustre (file system) Lustre (American English: luster) is a description of the way light interacts with the surface of a crystal, rock or mineral. ... The refractive index of a material is the factor by which the phase velocity of electromagnetic radiation is slowed relative to vacuum. ... Pleochroism is an optical phenomenon where due to double refraction of light by a colored gem or crystal, the light is divided into two paths which are polarized at a 90° angle to each other. ... The term streak is used in several ways: Streaking, the act of running around nude in public places. ... Relative density (also known as specific gravity) is a measure of the density of a material. ... The melting point of a solid is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... A substance is soluble in a fluid if it dissolves in that fluid. ... An oxide is a chemical compound of oxygen with other chemical elements. ... Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ...

Uses of bromellite

Bromellite, as a beryllium-containing mineral, has some uses. Industrially, natural specimens have the potential to be an ore of beryllium. It is one of the reagents that can be used in the manufacture of artificial emeralds. As an additive, bromellite confers high mechanical strength and very high thermal conductivity. In nuclear reactors, it is used as a moderator for fast neutrons. Ceramics containing bromellite are used in electronics, as well as crucibles for the melting of uranium and thorium. Bromellite, both natural and synthetic, is also used as a gemstone or as a collector's mineral. General Name, Symbol, Number beryllium, Be, 4 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 2, s Appearance white-gray metallic Atomic mass 9. ... When purchasing or preparing chemicals, reagent describes chemical substances of sufficient purity for use in chemical analysis, chemical reactions or physical testing. ... Emerald (Be3Al2SiO6) is a variety of the mineral beryl, colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes iron. ... Electrical conductivity is a measure of how well a material accommodates the transport of electric charge. ... Core of a nuclear reactor A nuclear power station. ... Properties In physics, the neutron is a subatomic particle with no net electric charge and a mass of 939. ... The field of electronics is the study and use of systems that operate by controlling the flow of electrons (or other charge carriers) in devices such as thermionic valves and semiconductors. ... General Name, Symbol, Number uranium, U, 92 Chemical series actinides Group, Period, Block n/a, 7, f Appearance silvery gray metallic; corrodes to a spalling black oxide coat in air Atomic mass 238. ... General Name, Symbol, Number thorium, Th, 90 Chemical series Actinides Group, Period, Block n/a, 7, f Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 232. ...

References

• R.V. Gaines et al, Dana's New Mineralogy, 8th edition, John Wiley & Sons, NY, 1997, p 211.
• WebMineral Listing
• MinDat Listing
• Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, and Related Terms