Elements of Webb: Where Does Beryllium Come From?

Utah is home to many valuable materials – copper, magnesium, uranium, gold, and silver. But most of the world’s beryllium is mined here. Engineers chose beryllium for Webb’s mirrors because it is lightweight, it is strong and it is dimensionally stable. To learn more about the elements used in the James Webb Space Telescope, please explore the complete Elements of Webb pathway.

Topics

  • astronomy
  • Earth science
  • beryllium mining
  • mineral extraction
  • materials science
  • space technology
  • Webb's mirrors
  • James Webb Space Telescope
  • JWST
  • beryllium