Bromellite is a rare beryllium oxide mineral that is highly sought after by collectors due to its exceptional hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale. It typically forms as small, colorless or white prismatic crystals in high-temperature metamorphic environments like skarns. Given its extreme rarity and the toxic nature of its beryllium content, it is primarily found in advanced mineral collections.
Is this bromellite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch bromellite with a known reference. Bromellite sits at Mohs ~9, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Bromellite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Bromellite is noticeably harder (Mohs ~9 vs. 7).
How to tell apart: Bromellite is noticeably harder (Mohs ~9 vs. 7.5-8).
How to tell apart: Bromellite is noticeably harder (Mohs ~9 vs. 4); streak differs, so Bromellite leaves white, Zincite leaves yellow-orange; luster reads vitreous on Bromellite and subadamantine to resinous on Zincite.
Often found alongside bromellite
Minerals reported to co-occur with bromellite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- BeO
- Mohs hardness
- ~9
- Density
- 3.017 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic crystals, massive, granular
- Cleavage
- {1010}, distinct
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal calcite veins and veinlets in hematite skarn and skarnized limestones (Långban, Sweden); in vugs in natrolite, hydrothermally altered from nepheline, in syenite pegmatite (Langesundsfjord, Norway)
Where rockhounds find bromellite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Värmland, Sweden
- Saga larvikite quarry, Tvedalen, near Larvik, Norway
- Izumrudnye district, Yekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk), Ural Mountains, the Pitkäranta district, Lake Ladoga, Karelia, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal calcite veins and veinlets in hematite skarn and skarnized limestones (Långban, Sweden); in vugs in natrolite, hydrothermally altered from nepheline, in syenite pegmatite (Langesundsfjord, Norway). If you start seeing swedenborgite, richterite, manganophyllite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, massive, granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify bromellite?+
Where is bromellite found?+
Is bromellite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like bromellite?+
What minerals are found with bromellite?+
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Find bromellite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
