Beryllium Beryllium is a chemical element with symbol Be and atomic number 4. It is a relatively rare element in the universe, usually occurring as a product of the spallation of larger atomic nuclei that have collided with cosmic rays. Within the cores of stars beryllium is depleted as it is fused and creates larger elements. It is a divalent element which occurs naturally only in combination with other elements in minerals. Notable gemstones which contain beryllium include beryl (aquamarine, emerald) and chrysoberyl. As a free element it is a steel-gray, strong, lightweight and brittle alkaline earth metal. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium Added to support Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) data use cases. ODM2 Variable Name Controlled Vocabulary ODM2 Working Group A vocabulary for describing the name of Variables.