Abstract
Genthelvite-bearing deposits are an emerging alternative source of beryllium (Be), often offering higher Be grades than traditional bertrandite or beryl-hosted systems, and in some cases enabling the recovery of zinc as a by-product. The BGV Beryllium (Perzhanskoye) deposit in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region is one of the largest known genthelvite-rich ore bodies, hosted within quartz–feldspar and feldspar metasomatites. Beneficiation testwork has demonstrated effective genthelvite flotation achieving over 87% Be recovery, producing a mineral concentrate containing 1.6 - 3.2% Be and 24.5% Zn. Subsequent hydrometallurgical testwork led to the development of a flowsheet consisting of acid baking, impurity removal, and solvent extraction, ultimately yielding a high purity sodium beryllate solution. Subsequent hydrolysis and calcination produced beryllium hydroxide at 99.7% purity and beryllium oxide at 99.2% purity, with an overall hydrometallurgical recovery (from concentrate) of 90-94% Be. The testwork showed that high purity Be compounds can be produced from the Perzhanskoye deposits using fairly conventional metallurgical processes. The presentation aims to highlight the beneficiation and hydrometallurgical results and discuss potential by-product recovery from this genthelvite-rich deposit.