Beryllium

Although it was first discovered in 1797 by French chemist Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin, it wasn't until 1898 that Paul Lebeau produced the first pure (99.5%+) samples of beryllium.

The first commercially successful process for producing beryllium was developed in 1932.

Commodity	Associated Localities	Total Localities	% Association (commodity)	% Association (Beryllium)
Mica	143	2,581	5.54% of all Mica deposits have Beryllium.	23.48% of all Beryllium deposits have Mica.
Feldspar	90	1,531	5.88% of all Feldspar deposits have Beryllium.	14.78% of all Beryllium deposits have Feldspar.
Tantalum	64	213	30.05% of all Tantalum deposits have Beryllium.	10.51% of all Beryllium deposits have Tantalum.
Uranium	61	8,881	0.69% of all Uranium deposits have Beryllium.	10.02% of all Beryllium deposits have Uranium.
Niobium (Columbium)	54	239	22.59% of all Niobium (Columbium) deposits have Beryllium.	8.87% of all Beryllium deposits have Niobium (Columbium).
Tungsten	51	2,782	1.83% of all Tungsten deposits have Beryllium.	8.37% of all Beryllium deposits have Tungsten.
Lead	42	12,303	0.34% of all Lead deposits have Beryllium.	6.90% of all Beryllium deposits have Lead.
Copper	42	14,891	0.28% of all Copper deposits have Beryllium.	6.90% of all Beryllium deposits have Copper.

* in exploitable quantities, based on associations listed on mindat.org

Beryllium is extracted from the beryllium silicate ore by either sintering or melting into a soluble mixutre.

The sintering process uses sodium fluorosilicate and soda at around 770 °C (1,420 °F) to create sodium fluoroberyllate which is then decomposed to beryllium hydroxide with water.

The melt process involves heating the ore to 1,650 °C (3,000 °F) and quickly cooling with water and reheating in concentrated sulfuric acid to produce beryllium sulfate, which is treated with ammonia to produce the hydroxide.

The hydroxide can be converted into the fluoride, which can then be heated with magnesium to release beryllium metal.

Although beryllium metal is toxic the silicate ores are non-toxic and do not pose any specific environmental concerns.