Beryllium
A light, stiff, toxic metal whose copper alloys make springs and connectors; the United States mines more than half of world supply.
Tech & minor metals · No. 44
- EU critical 2023
- US critical 2025
- India critical 2023
- HHI 4,149 · highly concentrated
Very light yet stiffer than steel, beryllium is mined mostly in the United States, from one deposit in Utah.
Chart: Illustration: Beryllium
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
Beryllium comes from beryl, hand-sorted from pegmatites in Brazil, Nigeria, Mozambique and Madagascar, and from lower-grade bertrandite at Spor Mountain, Utah, the main industrial source.
Three things to know
- Most beryllium is sold as beryllium-copper with about 2% Be, which pairs spring strength with good conductivity for electrical connectors.
- Consumer electronics took 29% of US beryllium sales revenue in 2025, and aerospace and defence another 24%.
- Scrap may supply 20-25% of US consumption, and the leading producer recovers about 40% of the beryllium in alloy scrap.
The journey
- 1 OreUtah bertrandite or hand-sorted beryl
- 2 LeachingOre leached to beryllium hydroxide
- 3 ConversionInto metal, oxide or master alloy
- 4 AlloyBeryllium-copper strip with about 2% Be
- 5 End usesConnectors, springs, aerospace and defence parts