Beryllium is a naturally occurring element (atomic number 4) and is one of the lightest of elements with an atomic weight of 9.012. Beryllium enters the air, water and soil as a result of natural and human activities. Beryllium is ubiquitous in nature, typically occurring as a mineral silicate. It is the 44th most abundant element in the earth’s crust. Beryllium is typically found at levels of 0.5 to 2 ppm in soils and rocks throughout the world. Extracted pure beryllium (Be) is a hard grayish-white metal of the alkaline earth family. Beryllium does not occur naturally in its pure form. Because beryllium occurs in trace quantities in all soil and rock, as a result of weathering, it is released as a particulate compound to air, water and sediments.