Bromellite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Bromellite
Magnus Bromelius
Formula:
BeO
Colour:
White to creamy white
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
9
Specific Gravity:
3.017
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
For Magnus von Bromell (1679-1731), Swedish physician and mineralogist.
A beryllium oxide mineral found in desilicated, skarn-like deposit and as a result of hydrothermal alteration of nepheline in nepheline syenites pegmatites.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
784
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:784:1
Similar Names
| Boromullite | A valid IMA mineral species | Al9BSi2O19 |
| Brammallite | A variety of Paragonite | NaAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Bromlite | A synonym of Alstonite |
IMA Classification of Bromellite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1925
Classification of Bromellite
4.AB.20
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
A : Metal: Oxygen = 2:1 and 1:1
B : M:O = 1:1 (and up to 1:1.25); with small to medium-sized cations only
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
A : Metal: Oxygen = 2:1 and 1:1
B : M:O = 1:1 (and up to 1:1.25); with small to medium-sized cations only
4.2.2.2
4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
2 : AX
4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
2 : AX
7.4.1
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
4 : Oxides of Be, Mg and the alkaline earths
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
4 : Oxides of Be, Mg and the alkaline earths
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Bmel | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Bromellite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
White to creamy white
Hardness:
9 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
on {1010}
on {1010}
Density:
3.017 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.044 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Bromellite
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.705 - 1.719 nε = 1.733
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.014 - 0.028
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic
(convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis
centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the
same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Chemistry of Bromellite
Mindat Formula:
BeO
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Al,B,Ba,Ca,Fe,Mg,Si
Chemical Analysis
Oxide wt%:
| 1 | 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| SiO2 | 0.7 % | |
| B2O3 | 1.4 % | |
| Al2O3 | 1.2 % | 0.14 % |
| Fe2O3 | 0.1 % | |
| BeO | 93.2 % | 98.02 % |
| CaO | 0.1 % | 1.03 % |
| H2O | 3.4 % | |
| BaO | 0.55 % | |
| MgO | 0.07 % | |
| Sb2O5 | 0.29 % | |
| LOI | 0.85 % | |
| Total: | 100.1 % | 100.95 % |
Sample references:
| ID | Type | Locality | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saga 1 Quarry, Sagåsen, Auenlandet, Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway | Analysis by Arne Åsheim | ||
| 2 | Type Specimen | Långban Mine, Långban Ore District, Filipstad, Värmland County, Sweden | Wet chemical analysis by Dr.phil. G.K. Almström |
Crystallography of Bromellite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6mm - Dihexagonal Pyramidal
Space Group:
P63mc
Cell Parameters:
a = 2.6983(4) Å, c = 4.3776(4) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.622
Unit Cell V:
27.60 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
As prismatic crystals, elongated along [0001], to 1 mm, showing pyramidal hemimorphism, with {0001} and {1010} well developed, {1011} small, may be tabular parallel to {0001}; in randomly intergrown rosettelike aggregates; also as cleavage fragments, to 10 cm.
Comment:
synthetic
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0019185 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0019179 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0019178 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0019177 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0019176 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0019186 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 543 | |
| 0019187 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 763 | |
| 0019188 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 963 | |
| 0019189 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 1073 | |
| 0019190 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 0 | 1183 | |
| 0019180 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 1.1 | 293 | |
| 0019181 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 2.2 | 293 | |
| 0019182 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 3.8 | 293 | |
| 0019183 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 4 | 293 | |
| 0019184 | Bromellite | Hazen R M, Finger L W (1986) High-pressure and high-temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide Journal of Applied Physics 59 3728-3733 | 1986 | Synthetic | 5 | 293 | |
| 0015173 | Bromellite | Xu Y N, Ching W Y (1993) Electronic, optical, and structural properties of some wurtzite crystals Physical Review B48 4335-4351 | 1993 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0011539 | Bromellite | Wyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York Crystal Structures 1 85-237 | 1963 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0017437 | Bromellite | Zachariasen W (1925) Ueber die Kristallstruktur von BeO _cod_database_code 1010526 Norsk Geologisk Tidsskrift 8 189-200 | 1925 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0017664 | Bromellite | Aminoff G (1925) Ueber Berylliumoxyd als Mineral und dessen Kristallstruktur. _cod_database_code 1010943 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 62 113-122 |  | 1925 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.061 Å | (100) |
| 2.337 Å | (91) |
| 2.189 Å | (61) |
| 1.349 Å | (29) |
| 1.238 Å | (24) |
| 1.598 Å | (22) |
| 1.1482 Å | (16) |
Reference:
Comments:
Recorded on synthetic material
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47) | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks | |
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals] |
Type Occurrence of Bromellite
General Appearance of Type Material:
White hexagonal crystals
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In hydrothermal calcite veins and veinlets in hematite skarn and skarnized limestones
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Bromellite
Dutch:Bromelliet
German:Bromellit
Russian:Бромеллит
Simplified Chinese:铍石
Spanish:Bromellita
Traditional Chinese:鈹石
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 4 photos of Bromellite associated with Helvine | Be3Mn2+4(SiO4)3S |
| 4 photos of Bromellite associated with Chrysoberyl | BeAl2O4 |
| 4 photos of Bromellite associated with Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 3 photos of Bromellite associated with Liberite | Li2BeSiO4 |
| 3 photos of Bromellite associated with Phenakite | Be2SiO4 |
| 2 photos of Bromellite associated with Amesite | Mg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4 |
| 2 photos of Bromellite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
| 2 photos of Bromellite associated with Magnesioferrite | MgFe3+2O4 |
| 2 photos of Bromellite associated with Diaspore | AlO(OH) |
| 1 photo of Bromellite associated with Rhodonite | CaMn3Mn[Si5O15] |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.AB. | 'Carbon Monoxide Ice' | CO |
| 4.AB.05 | Crednerite | Cu+Mn3+O2 |
| 4.AB.10 | Tenorite | CuO |
| 4.AB.15 | Mcconnellite | CuCrO2 |
| 4.AB.15 | Delafossite | Cu+Fe3+O2 |
| 4.AB.20 | Zincite | ZnO |
| 4.AB.25 | Bunsenite | NiO |
| 4.AB.25 | Periclase | MgO |
| 4.AB.25 | Lime | CaO |
| 4.AB.25 | Manganosite | MnO |
| 4.AB.25 | Monteponite | CdO |
| 4.AB.25 | Wüstite | FeO |
| 4.AB.30 | Palladinite | PdO |
| 4.AB.35 | 'Hongquiite' | TiO |
Fluorescence of Bromellite
Yellowish white in both LW and SW UV
Other Information
Electrical:
Pyroelectric
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Bromellite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-784.html
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References for Bromellite
Reference List:
Aminoff, G. (1925) Über Berylliumoxyd als Mineral und dessen Kristallstruktur. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 62 (1-6). 113-122 doi:10.1524/zkri.1925.62.1.113
Zachariasen, William (1926) Die Kristallstrukturen von Berylliumoxyd und Berylliumsulfid. Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie, 119 (1). 201-213 doi:10.1515/zpch-1926-11921
Claassen, A. (1926) Die Kristallstruktur von Berylliumoxyd. Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie, 124 (1). doi:10.1515/zpch-1926-0111
Newkirk, Herbert W., Smith, Deane K. (1965) Studies on the formation of crystalline synthetic bromellite. I. Microcrystals. American Mineralogist, 50 (1-2) 22-43
Newkirk, Herbert W., Smith, Deane K. (1965) Studies on the formation of crystalline synthetic bromellite. II. Macrocrystals. American Mineralogist, 50 (1-2) 44-72
Newkirk, H. W., Smith, D. K., Kahn, J. S. (1966) Synthetic bromellite. III. Some optical properties. American Mineralogist, 51 (1-2) 141-151
Baker, T.W., Baldock, P.J (1966) The x-ray diffraction intensities of the high temperature (β) phase of beryllium oxide. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 19 (2). 210-211 doi:10.1016/0022-3115(66)90118-8
Loh, Eugene (1968) Optical Phonons in BeO Crystals. Physical Review, 166 (3). 673-678 doi:10.1103/physrev.166.673
Arguello, C. A., Rousseau, D. L., Porto, S. P. S. (1969) First-Order Raman Effect in Wurtzite-Type Crystals. Physical Review, 181 (3). 1351-1363 doi:10.1103/physrev.181.1351
Hazen, R. M., Finger, L. W. (1986) High‐pressure and high‐temperature crystal chemistry of beryllium oxide. Journal of Applied Physics, 59 (11). 3728-3733 doi:10.1063/1.336756
Hofmeister, A. M., Hoering, T. C., Virgo, D. (1987) Vibrational spectroscopy of beryllium aluminosilicates: Heat capacity calculations from band assignments. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 14 (3) 205-224 doi:10.1007/bf00307985
Larsen, Alf Olav, Åsheim, Arne, Berge, Svein Arne (1987) Bromellite from syenite pegmatite, Southern Oslo region, Norway. The Canadian Mineralogist, 25 (3) 425-428
Localities for Bromellite
Showing 12 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| Henley et al. (2001) |
China | |
| Xihuan Zhang and Yufeng Ren (2008) |
France | |
| Dubru. M (1986) |
Norway | |
| Larsen et al. (1987) +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| [World of Stones 95:5-6 |
| Ivashchenko et al. (2006) |
| Avdonin V.N. (2004) |
Sweden (TL) | |
| Aminoff (1925) +2 other references |
| Jonsson (2003) | |
| Lorin (2003) | |
| Österberg et al. (2003) |
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Långban Mine, Långban Ore District, Filipstad, Värmland County, Sweden