Bromellite
| Bromellite | |
|---|---|
A yellowish crystal of bromellite | |
| General | |
| Category | Oxide minerals |
| Formula | BeO (beryllium oxide) |
| Strunz classification | 4.AB.20 |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal |
| Crystal class | Dihexagonal pyramidal (6mm) H-M symbol: (6mm) |
| Space group | P63mc |
| Identification | |
| Color | White, colorless |
| Crystal habit | prismatic |
| Cleavage | [1010] Distinct |
| Mohs scale hardness | 9 |
| Luster | Vitreous |
| Streak | White |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent to translucent |
| Specific gravity | 3.02 |
| Refractive index | 1.719, 1.733 |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Melting point | 2,570 °C (4,660 °F) |
| References | |
Bromellite, whose name derives from the Swedish chemist Magnus von Bromell (1670–1731), is a white oxide mineral. The mineral form of beryllium oxide, it is 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.