Metals of group II alkaline earth metals magnesium and beryllium. Magnesium and calcium Beryllium alkali metal

Distribution in nature and production. Magnesium and calcium are common elements on Earth (magnesium is the eighth, calcium is the sixth), and the remaining elements are rarer. Strontium and radium are radioactive elements.

In the earth's crust beryllium found in the form of minerals: beryl Be 3 Al 2 (Si0 3) 6 , phenacite Be 2 Si0 4 . Impurity-colored transparent varieties of beryl (green emeralds, blue aquamarines etc.) - precious stones. There are 54 known beryllium minerals, the most important of which are beryl (and its varieties - emerald, aquamarine, heliodor, sparrowite, roasterite, bazzite).

Magnesium is part of silicate rocks (among them the predominant olivine Mg 2 Si0 4), carbonate ( dolomite CaMg(C0 3) 2, magnesite MgC0 3) and chloride minerals ( carnallite KClMgCl 2 -6H 2 0). A large amount of magnesium is found in sea water (up to 0.38% MgCl 2) and in the water of some lakes (up to 30% MgCl 2).

Calcium contained in the form of silicates and aluminosilicates in rocks (granites, gneisses, etc.), carbonate in the form calcite CaC0 3, mixtures of calcite and dolomite (marble), sulfate (anhydrite CaS0 4 and gypsum CaS0 4 -2H 2 0) as well as fluoride (fluorite CaF 2) and phosphate (apatite Ca 5 (P0 4) 3), etc.

Essential Minerals strontium And barium: carbonates (strontianite SrC0 3 , witherite BaCO 3) and sulfates (celestine SrS0 4 , barite BaS0 4). Radium found in uranium ores.

In industry beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium get:

• 1) electrolysis of molten MeCl 2 chlorides, to which NaCl or other chlorides are added to lower the melting point;
• 2) by metal- and carbon-thermal methods at temperatures of 1000-1300°C.

Particularly pure beryllium is obtained by zone melting. To obtain pure magnesium (99.999% Mg), technical magnesium is repeatedly sublimated in a vacuum. High-purity barium is obtained by the aluminothermic method from BaO.

Physical and chemical properties. In the form of simple substances, these are shiny silvery-white metals, beryllium is hard (it can cut glass), but brittle, the rest are soft and ductile. A special feature of beryllium is that it is coated in air with a thin oxide film, which protects the metal from the action of oxygen even at high temperatures. Above 800°C, beryllium oxidizes, and at a temperature of 1200°C, beryllium metal burns, turning into white BeO powder.

As the atomic number of an element increases, the density, melting and boiling points increase. The electronegativity of the elements of this group is different. For Be it is quite high (ze = 1.57), which determines the amphoteric nature of its compounds.

All metals in free form are less reactive compared to alkali metals, but are quite active (they are also stored under kerosene in sealed containers, and calcium is usually stored in tightly sealed metal cans).

Interaction with simple substances. The chemical activity of metals increases in the subgroup from top to bottom with increasing atomic number.

In air they are oxidized to form MeO oxides, and strontium and barium, when heated in air to ~500°C, form Me0 2 peroxides, which at higher temperatures decompose into oxide and oxygen. The interaction with simple substances is presented in the diagram:

All metals actively interact with nonmetals: with oxygen they form oxides MeO (Me = Be - Ra), with halogens - halides, for example MeCl 2 chlorides, with hydrogen - MeH 2 hydrides, with sulfur - MeS sulfides, with nitrogen - Me 3 nitrides N 2, with carbon - carbides (acetylenides) MeC 2, etc.

With metals they form eutectic mixtures, solid solutions and intermetallic compounds. Beryllium with some d-elements forms beryllides - compounds of variable composition MeBe 12 (Me = Ti, Nb, Ta, Mo), MeBe tl (Me = Nb, Ta), characterized by high melting points and resistance to oxidation when heated to 1200-1600°C.

Relation to water, acids and alkalis. Beryllium in air is covered with an oxide film, which causes its reduced chemical activity and prevents its interaction with water. It exhibits amphoteric properties and reacts with acids and alkalis to release hydrogen. In this case, salts of cationic and anionic types are formed:

Concentrated cold HN0 3 and H 2 S0 4 beryllium is passivated.

Magnesium, like beryllium, is resistant to water. It reacts with cold water very slowly, since the resulting Mg(OH) 2 is poorly soluble; when heated, the reaction accelerates due to the dissolution of Mg(OII) 2. It dissolves very vigorously in acids. The exceptions are HF and H 3 P0 4, which form poorly soluble compounds with it. Magnesium, unlike beryllium, does not interact with alkalis.

Metals of the calcium subgroup (alkaline earth) react with water and dilute hydrochloric and sulfuric acids to release hydrogen and form the corresponding hydroxides and salts:

Similar to magnesium, they do not interact with alkalis. Properties of compounds of elements of the HA subgroup. Oxygen compounds. Beryllium oxide and hydroxide are amphoteric in nature, the rest are basic. Bases that are highly soluble in water are Sr(OH) 2 and Ba(OH) 2; they are classified as alkalis.

BeO oxide is refractory (δ melting point = 2530°C), has increased thermal conductivity and, after pre-calcination at 400°C, chemical inertness. It is amphoteric in nature and reacts upon fusion with both acidic and basic oxides, as well as with acids and alkalis when heated, forming beryllium salts and beryllates, respectively:

The corresponding beryllium hydroxide Be(OH) 2 behaves in a similar way - without dissolving in water, it is soluble in both acids and alkalis:

To precipitate it, not an alkali is used, but a weak base - ammonium hydroxide:

Hydrolysis of beryllium salts occurs with the formation of precipitation of poorly soluble basic salts, for example:

Only alkali metal beryllates are soluble.

MgO oxide (burnt magnesia) - refractory (? pl = 2800°C) inert substance. In technology it is obtained by thermal decomposition of carbonate:

Fine-crystalline MgO, on the contrary, is chemically active and is the main oxide. It interacts with water, absorbs CO 2, and easily dissolves in acids.

Oxides alkaline earth metals get in the laboratory thermal decomposition of the corresponding carbonates or nitrates:

in industry - thermal decomposition of natural carbonates. Oxides react vigorously with water, forming strong bases, second only to alkalis in strength. In the series Be(OH) 2 -> Ca(OH) 2 -> Sr(OH) 2 -> Ba(OH) 2, the basic nature of hydroxides, their solubility and thermal stability increases. All of them react vigorously with acids to form the corresponding salts:

Unlike beryllium salts, water-soluble salts of alkaline earth metals and magnesium do not undergo cation hydrolysis.

The solubility in water of salts of elements of the PA subgroup is different. Well soluble are chlorides, bromides, iodides, sulfides (Ca - Ba), nitrates, nitrites (Mg - Ba). Slightly soluble and practically insoluble - fluorides (Mg - Ba), sulfates (Ca - Ba), orthophosphates, carbonates, silicates.

Compounds with hydrogen and nonmetals. MeH 2 hydrides, Me 3 N 2 nitrides, MeC 2 carbides (acetylenides) are unstable, decompose with water to form the corresponding hydroxides and hydrogen or hydrogen compounds of non-metals:

Application. Beryllium easily forms alloys with many metals, giving them greater hardness, strength, heat resistance and corrosion resistance. Beryllium bronzes (copper alloys with 1-3% beryllium) have unique properties. Unlike pure beryllium, they lend themselves well to mechanical processing; for example, they can be used to make ribbons with a thickness of only 0.1 mm. The tensile strength of these bronzes is greater than that of many alloy steels. As they age, their strength increases. They are non-magnetic and have high electrical and thermal conductivity. Thanks to this complex of properties, they are widely used in aviation and space technology. In nuclear reactors, beryllium is used as a moderator and neutron reflector. When mixed with radium preparations, it serves as a source of neutrons produced by the action of alpha particles on Be:

BeO is used as a chemically resistant and refractory material for the manufacture of crucibles and special ceramics.

Magnesium mainly used for the production of “ultra-light” alloys, in metallothermy - for the production of Ti, Zr, V, U, etc. The most important magnesium alloy is electron(3-10% A1 2 0 3, 2-3% Zn, the rest Mg), which, due to its strength and low density (1.8 g/cm 3), is used in rocketry and aircraft manufacturing. Mixtures of magnesium powder with oxidizing agents are used for lighting and incendiary rockets, projectiles, and in photographic and lighting equipment. Burnt magnesia MgO is used in the production of magnesium, as a filler in the production of rubber, for the purification of petroleum products, in the production of refractories, building materials, etc.

MgCl 2 chloride is used to obtain magnesium in the production of magnesium cement, which is obtained by mixing pre-calcined MgO with a 30% aqueous solution of MgCl 2. This mixture gradually turns into a white solid mass, resistant to acids and alkalis.

The main use of metal calcium - a reducing agent in the production of many transition metals, uranium, and rare earth elements (REE).

Calcium carbide CaC 2 - for the production of acetylene, CaO - for the production of bleach, Ca(OH) 2, CaC0 3, CaS0 4 H 2 0 - in construction. Ca(OH) 2 ( lime milk, slaked lime) used as a cheap soluble base. Natural calcium compounds are widely used in the production of binders for mortars, for the production of concrete, building parts and structures. Binders include cements, gypsum materials, lime etc. Gypsum materials are primarily burnt plaster, or alabaster, - hydrate of composition 2CaS0 4 H 2 0. Main application strontium And barium - gas absorbers in electric vacuum devices. Solution Ba(OH) 2 ( barite water, caustic barite) - laboratory reagent for qualitative reaction to CO 2. Barium titanate (BaTi0 3) is the main component of dielectrics, piezo- and ferroelectrics.

Toxicity of elements. All beryllium compounds are toxic! Dust from beryllium and its compounds is especially dangerous. Strontium and barium, being nerve and muscle poisons, also have general toxicity. Barium compounds cause inflammatory diseases of the brain. The toxicity of barium salts is highly dependent on their solubility. Practically insoluble barium sulfate (pure) is not poisonous, but soluble salts: chloride, nitrate, barium acetate, etc. are highly toxic (0.2-0.5 g of barium chloride causes poisoning, lethal dose - 0.8-0.9 G). The toxic effect of strontium salts is similar to the effect of barium salts. Oxides of calcium and other alkaline earth metals in the form of dust irritate mucous membranes and cause severe burns if they come into contact with the skin. Strontium oxide acts similarly to calcium oxide, but much stronger. Alkaline earth metal salts cause skin diseases.

The concept of alkaline earth metals includes part of the elements of group II of the periodic system: beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, radium. The last four metals have the most pronounced signs of the alkaline earth classification, therefore, in some sources, beryllium and magnesium are not included in the list, limiting themselves to four elements.

The metal got its name due to the fact that when their oxides interact with water, an alkaline environment is formed. Physical properties of alkaline earth metals: all elements have a gray metallic color, under normal conditions they have a solid structure, with increasing atomic number their density increases, and have a very high melting point. Unlike alkali metals, elements of this group cannot be cut with a knife (with the exception of strontium). Chemical properties of alkaline earth metals: they have two valence electrons, activity increases with increasing atomic number, and act as a reducing agent in reactions.

The characteristics of alkaline earth metals indicate their high activity. This especially applies to elements with a large serial number. For example, beryllium under normal conditions does not interact with oxygen and halogens. To trigger the reaction mechanism, it must be heated to a temperature of over 600 degrees Celsius. Magnesium under normal conditions has an oxide film on the surface and also does not react with oxygen. Calcium oxidizes, but rather slowly. But strontium, barium and radium oxidize almost instantly, so they are stored in an oxygen-free environment under a kerosene layer.

All oxides increase their basic properties with increasing atomic number of the metal. Beryllium hydroxide is an amphoteric compound that does not react with water, but is highly soluble in acids. Magnesium hydroxide is a weak alkali, insoluble in water, but reactive with strong acids. Calcium hydroxide is a strong, slightly water-soluble base that reacts with acids. Barium and strontium hydroxides are strong bases that are highly soluble in water. And radium hydroxide is one of the strongest alkalis that reacts well with water and almost all types of acids.

Methods of obtaining

Alkaline earth metal hydroxides are prepared by exposing the pure element to water. The reaction proceeds at room conditions (except for beryllium, which requires an increase in temperature) with the evolution of hydrogen. When heated, all alkaline earth metals react with halogens. The resulting compounds are used in the production of a wide range of products from chemical fertilizers to ultra-precision microprocessor parts. Alkaline earth metal compounds exhibit the same high activity as pure elements, which is why they are used in many chemical reactions.

Most often this occurs during exchange reactions, when it is necessary to displace a less active metal from a substance. They take part in redox reactions as a strong reducing agent. Divalent cations of calcium and magnesium give water so-called hardness. Overcoming this phenomenon occurs by precipitating ions using physical action or adding special softening substances to the water. Alkaline earth metal salts are formed by dissolving elements in acid or as a result of exchange reactions. The resulting compounds have a strong covalent bond and therefore have low electrical conductivity.

In nature, alkaline earth metals cannot be found in pure form, since they quickly interact with the environment, forming chemical compounds. They are part of minerals and rocks contained in the thickness of the earth's crust. The most common is calcium, followed by magnesium, and barium and strontium are quite common. Beryllium is a rare metal, and radium is a very rare metal. In all the time that has passed since the discovery of radium, only one and a half kilograms of pure metal have been mined all over the world. Like most radioactive elements, radium has isotopes, of which there are four.

Alkaline earth metals are obtained by decomposing complex substances and isolating pure substances from them. Beryllium is mined by reducing it from fluoride under high temperature. Barium is reduced from its oxide. Calcium, magnesium and strontium are obtained by electrolysis of their chloride melt. The most difficult thing to synthesize is pure radium. It is mined by exposure to uranium ore. According to scientists, on average there are 3 grams of pure radium per ton of ore, although there are also rich deposits that contain as much as 25 grams per ton. To isolate the metal, methods of precipitation, fractional crystallization and ion exchange are used.

Applications of alkaline earth metals

The range of applications of alkaline earth metals is very wide and covers many industries. Beryllium is in most cases used as an alloying additive in various alloys. It increases the hardness and strength of materials, and protects the surface well from corrosion. Also, due to its weak absorption of radioactive radiation, beryllium is used in the manufacture of X-ray machines and in nuclear energy.

Magnesium is used as one of the reducing agents in the production of titanium. Its alloys are characterized by high strength and lightness, therefore they are used in the production of aircraft, cars, and rockets. Magnesium oxide burns with a bright, blinding flame, which is reflected in military applications where it is used to make incendiary and tracer rounds, flares and flash-bang grenades. It is one of the most important elements for regulating the normal functioning of the body, therefore it is included in some medicines.

Calcium in its pure form is practically not used. It is needed for the recovery of other metals from their compounds, as well as in the production of drugs to strengthen bone tissue. Strontium is used to reduce other metals and as a major component for the production of superconducting materials. Barium is added to many alloys that are designed to work in aggressive environments, as it has excellent protective properties. Radium is used in medicine for short-term irradiation of the skin in the treatment of malignant tumors.

The atoms of these elements contain two electrons at the outer energy level, which they give up during chemical interactions, and therefore are the strongest reducing agents. In all compounds they have an oxidation state of +2. As the ordinal number increases from top to bottom in a subgroup, the reducing properties of elements increase, which is associated with an increase in the radii of their atoms.

Radium- a radioactive element, its content in nature is low.

Beryllium, magnesium and alkaline earth metals- simple substances. A light silvery-white metal, strontium has a golden hue. It is much harder than alkali metals, while barium is softer than lead.

In air at ordinary temperatures, the surface of beryllium and magnesium is covered with a protective oxide film. Alkaline earth metals interact with atmospheric oxygen more actively, so they are stored under a layer of kerosene or in sealed vessels, like alkali metals.

When heated in air, all the metals in question burn vigorously to form oxides. To write the reaction equations, we also use the general designation for metals M:

The combustion reaction of magnesium is accompanied by a blinding flash; previously it was used when photographing objects in dark rooms. Currently, an electric flash is used.

Beryllium, magnesium and all alkaline earth metals react when heated with non-metals - chlorine, sulfur, nitrogen, etc., forming chlorides, sulfides, nitrides, respectively:

Of all the metals of the main subgroup of group II, only beryllium practically does not interact with water (it is prevented by a protective film on its surface), magnesium reacts with it slowly, the remaining metals react violently with water under normal conditions:

Like aluminum, magnesium and calcium are capable of reducing rare metals - niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, etc. - from their oxides.

Such methods for producing metals, by analogy with aluminothermy, are called magnesium and calciothermy.

Magnesium and calcium are used for the production of rare metals and light alloys. For example, magnesium is part of duralumin, and calcium is one of the components of lead alloys necessary for the manufacture of bearings and cable sheaths.

Compounds of beryllium, magnesium and alkaline earth metals. In nature, alkaline earth metals, like alkali metals, are found only in the form of compounds due to their high chemical activity.

MO oxides are solid white refractory substances that are resistant to high temperatures.

They exhibit basic properties, except for beryllium oxide, which is amphoteric in nature.

Magnesium oxide is inactive in reaction with water, all other oxides react very violently with it:

MO + H20 = M(OH)2

Oxides are obtained by roasting carbonates: MC03 = MO + C02

In engineering, calcium oxide CaO is called quicklime, and MgO is called burnt magnesia. Both of these oxides are used in the production of building materials.

Alkaline earth metal hydroxides are classified as alkalis. Their solubility in water increases from Ca(OH)2 to Ba(OH)2. These hydroxides are prepared by reacting the corresponding oxide with water.

Group IIA contains only metals – Be (beryllium), Mg (magnesium), Ca (calcium), Sr (strontium), Ba (barium) and Ra (radium). The chemical properties of the first representative of this group, beryllium, differ most strongly from the chemical properties of the other elements of this group. Its chemical properties are in many ways even more similar to aluminum than to other Group IIA metals (so-called “diagonal similarity”). Magnesium, in its chemical properties, also differs markedly from Ca, Sr, Ba and Ra, but still has much more similar chemical properties with them than with beryllium. Due to the significant similarity in the chemical properties of calcium, strontium, barium and radium, they are combined into one family called alkaline earth metals.

All elements of group IIA belong to s-elements, i.e. contain all their valence electrons on s-sublevel Thus, the electronic configuration of the outer electronic layer of all chemical elements of this group has the form ns 2 , Where n– number of the period in which the element is located.

Due to the peculiarities of the electronic structure of group IIA metals, these elements, in addition to zero, can have only one single oxidation state equal to +2. Simple substances formed by elements of group IIA, when participating in any chemical reactions, can only oxidize, i.e. donate electrons:

Me 0 – 2e — → Me +2

Calcium, strontium, barium and radium have extremely high chemical reactivity. The simple substances formed by them are very strong reducing agents. Magnesium is also a strong reducing agent. The reduction activity of metals obeys the general laws of the periodic law of D.I. Mendeleev and increases down the subgroup.

Interaction with simple substances

with oxygen

Without heating, beryllium and magnesium do not react with either atmospheric oxygen or pure oxygen due to the fact that they are covered with thin protective films consisting of BeO and MgO oxides, respectively. Their storage does not require any special methods of protection from air and moisture, unlike alkaline earth metals, which are stored under a layer of liquid inert to them, most often kerosene.

Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, when burned in oxygen, form oxides of the composition MeO, and Ba - a mixture of barium oxide (BaO) and barium peroxide (BaO 2):

2Mg + O2 = 2MgO

2Ca + O2 = 2CaO

2Ba + O 2 = 2BaO

Ba + O 2 = BaO 2

It should be noted that when alkaline earth metals and magnesium burn in air, a side reaction of these metals with air nitrogen also occurs, as a result of which, in addition to compounds of metals with oxygen, nitrides with the general formula Me 3 N 2 are also formed.

with halogens

Beryllium reacts with halogens only at high temperatures, and the rest of the Group IIA metals - already at room temperature:

Mg + I 2 = MgI 2 – Magnesium iodide

Ca + Br 2 = CaBr 2 – calcium bromide

Ba + Cl 2 = BaCl 2 – barium chloride

with non-metals of groups IV–VI

All metals of group IIA react when heated with all nonmetals of groups IV–VI, but depending on the position of the metal in the group, as well as the activity of the nonmetals, varying degrees of heating are required. Since beryllium is the most chemically inert among all Group IIA metals, when carrying out its reactions with non-metals, significant use is required. O higher temperature.

It should be noted that the reaction of metals with carbon can form carbides of different natures. There are carbides that belong to methanides and are conventionally considered derivatives of methane, in which all hydrogen atoms are replaced by metal. They, like methane, contain carbon in the -4 oxidation state, and when they are hydrolyzed or interact with non-oxidizing acids, one of the products is methane. There is also another type of carbides - acetylenides, which contain the C 2 2- ion, which is actually a fragment of the acetylene molecule. Carbides such as acetylenides, upon hydrolysis or interaction with non-oxidizing acids, form acetylene as one of the reaction products. The type of carbide - methanide or acetylenide - obtained when a particular metal reacts with carbon depends on the size of the metal cation. Metal ions with a small radius usually form metanides, and larger ions form acetylenides. In the case of metals of the second group, methanide is obtained by the interaction of beryllium with carbon:

The remaining metals of group II A form acetylenides with carbon:

With silicon, group IIA metals form silicides - compounds of the type Me 2 Si, with nitrogen - nitrides (Me 3 N 2), with phosphorus - phosphides (Me 3 P 2):

with hydrogen

All alkaline earth metals react with hydrogen when heated. In order for magnesium to react with hydrogen, heating alone, as in the case of alkaline earth metals, is not enough; in addition to high temperature, increased hydrogen pressure is also required. Beryllium does not react with hydrogen under any conditions.

Interaction with complex substances

with water

All alkaline earth metals react actively with water to form alkalis (soluble metal hydroxides) and hydrogen. Magnesium reacts with water only when boiled due to the fact that when heated, the protective oxide film MgO dissolves in water. In the case of beryllium, the protective oxide film is very resistant: water does not react with it either when boiling or even at red-hot temperatures:

with non-oxidizing acids

All metals of the main subgroup of group II react with non-oxidizing acids, since they are in the activity series to the left of hydrogen. In this case, a salt of the corresponding acid and hydrogen are formed. Examples of reactions:

Be + H 2 SO 4 (diluted) = BeSO 4 + H 2

Mg + 2HBr = MgBr 2 + H 2

Ca + 2CH 3 COOH = (CH 3 COO) 2 Ca + H 2

with oxidizing acids

− diluted nitric acid

All metals of group IIA react with dilute nitric acid. In this case, the reduction products, instead of hydrogen (as in the case of non-oxidizing acids), are nitrogen oxides, mainly nitrogen oxide (I) (N 2 O), and in the case of highly dilute nitric acid, ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3):

4Ca + 10HNO3 ( razb .) = 4Ca(NO 3) 2 + N 2 O + 5H 2 O

4Mg + 10HNO3 (very blurry)= 4Mg(NO 3) 2 + NH 4 NO 3 + 3H 2 O

− concentrated nitric acid

Concentrated nitric acid at ordinary (or low) temperature passivates beryllium, i.e. does not react with it. When boiling, the reaction is possible and proceeds predominantly in accordance with the equation:

Magnesium and alkaline earth metals react with concentrated nitric acid to form a wide range of different nitrogen reduction products.

− concentrated sulfuric acid

Beryllium is passivated with concentrated sulfuric acid, i.e. does not react with it under normal conditions, but the reaction occurs at boiling and leads to the formation of beryllium sulfate, sulfur dioxide and water:

Be + 2H 2 SO 4 → BeSO 4 + SO 2 + 2H 2 O

Barium is also passivated by concentrated sulfuric acid due to the formation of insoluble barium sulfate, but reacts with it when heated; barium sulfate dissolves when heated in concentrated sulfuric acid due to its conversion to barium hydrogen sulfate.

The remaining metals of main group IIA react with concentrated sulfuric acid under any conditions, including in the cold. Reduction of sulfur can occur to SO 2, H 2 S and S depending on the activity of the metal, reaction temperature and acid concentration:

Mg + H2SO4 ( conc. .) = MgSO 4 + SO 2 + H 2 O

3Mg + 4H 2 SO 4 ( conc. .) = 3MgSO 4 + S↓ + 4H 2 O

4Ca + 5H 2 SO 4 ( conc. .) = 4CaSO 4 +H 2 S + 4H 2 O

with alkalis

Magnesium and alkaline earth metals do not interact with alkalis, and beryllium easily reacts both with alkali solutions and with anhydrous alkalis during fusion. Moreover, when a reaction is carried out in an aqueous solution, water also participates in the reaction, and the products are tetrahydroxoberyllates of alkali or alkaline earth metals and hydrogen gas:

Be + 2KOH + 2H 2 O = H 2 + K 2 - potassium tetrahydroxoberyllate

When carrying out a reaction with a solid alkali during fusion, beryllates of alkali or alkaline earth metals and hydrogen are formed

Be + 2KOH = H 2 + K 2 BeO 2 - potassium beryllate

with oxides

Alkaline earth metals, as well as magnesium, can reduce less active metals and some nonmetals from their oxides when heated, for example:

The method of reducing metals from their oxides with magnesium is called magnesium.