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Beryllium is a light gray metal discovered by Nicholas
Louis Vauquelin in 1797. This metal has four
protons, and 5 neutrons. Beryllium is used in
space shuttles, missiles, communications satellites, and X-ray tubes.
It is the forth atom on the Periodic Table of
Elements, and is also used in the nuclear industry. The
early Egyptians used beryllium alloys and Emeralds for showy
occasions. |
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Beryllium metal is available commercially and would never, under normal conditions, be made in a laboratory. Its extraction from ores is very complex. It is heated gradually to the very high temperature of 7000 C with sodium hexafluorosilicate, Na2SiF6. This procedure forms beryllium fluoride. This is water soluble and the beryllium may be precipitated as the hydroxide Be(OH)2 by changing the pH indicator.
Beryllium metal dust can cause major lung damage, and beryllium salts are very toxic. Compounds containing beryllium are very poisonous and only to be handled by a professional under controlled conditions. One way for beryllium into the biosphere is by way of industrial smoke. It seems that some types of camping gas mantle may cause problems as a consequence of their beryllium content.
