Beryllium is a lightweight, hard metal found in nature, especially in beryl and bertrandite rock. It has properties making it useful for high-technology applications, including aerospace components, transistors, nuclear reactors, and golf clubs. The United States is the world's largest producer of beryllium, mining it from beryl and bertrandite ores found in igneous rocks. Beryllium concentrates are processed into beryllium oxide or hydroxide and then fluoride or chloride, which are used to produce beryllium commercially. Beryllium has many industrial and commercial uses, including in aviation, electronics, telecommunications, and as a neutron reflect