Beryllium is a hard gray metal that is extracted from the earth, refined and reduced to a very fine powder. It occurs as a chemical component of certain rocks (bertrandite and beryl), coal and oil, soil, and volcanic dust. Beryllium’s light weight, high tensile strength and ability to slow neutrons have made it useful for many purposes in many industries.

Common workplace forms of beryllium are beryllium oxide powder, beryllium ceramics and beryllium copper alloy. Pure beryllium metal is used in the manufacture of aircraft disc brakes, nuclear weapons and reactors, missile parts, heat shields, x–ray machine parts, mirrors and spacecraft. Beryllium oxide is used in ceramics for electronics and high–technology applications. Among the uses for beryllium alloys are electrical connectors, springs, precision instruments, aircraft engine parts, wheels and pinions.

Beryllium metal and metal alloys may be found in consumer products such as televisions, calculators, computers, special nonsparking tools and sports equipment. It also can be part of dental alloys and dental bridges.