Helvite, a product of magmatic emanations at Iron Mountain, Sierra Socorro Counties, New Mexico

Abstract

The recent discovery of the widespread occurrence of helvite, a beryllium‐bearing mineral, at Iron Mountain, New Mexico, has aroused interest in the commercial possibilities of a mineral which heretofore has been considered to have only scientific significance. Helvite contains about 13 per cent beryllium oxide as compared with five to ten per cent beryllium oxide in the mineral, beryl, which at present is the principal source of commercial beryllium. Helvite is consistently distributed, though sparingly in some places, through great masses of contact‐metamorphic rock at Iron Mountain and, therefore, provides great hope for the future when the metallurgical problems have been solved and large‐tonnage, low‐grade ore can be utilized.