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Cerium, a rare earth element, is used in metallurgy, nuclear applications, glass, and enameling. It is mildly toxic and can be dangerous to handle due to its reactivity and ability to give off toxic fumes. Cerium is also a lanthanide and can resemble lead in appearance. It was discovered in 1803 and is found in many minerals and ores.
Cerium is a rare earth element that has numerous uses, especially in metallurgy. Consumers generally interact with the element in the form of a product component, and several cerium isotopes and compounds are also used in production. This item has been found to be mildly toxic and can be dangerous under certain conditions; people who work with cerium are generally trained in how to handle it safely and how to recognize markers of dangerous levels of exposure.
In appearance, cerium can closely resemble lead. It is iron gray in color with a faint sheen and is highly malleable. Cerium also has three other allotropic states, meaning it takes on different pure forms depending on conditions such as pressure and temperature. It is identified by the symbol Ce on the periodic table of elements and has an atomic number of 58. In addition to being considered a rare earth element, cerium is also a lanthanide, sharing characteristics such as high reactivity, including flammability, along high boiling and melting point, with a group of other elements.
The discovery of cerium is separately credited to JJ Berzelius and Wilhelm Hisinger in Sweden and MH Klaproth in Germany in 1803. Berzelius named the element after the asteroid Ceres, which was first observed in 1801. However, it took another 72 years to successfully isolate cerium. element, as the technology to do so did not exist when cerium was first identified. Cerium was also found to be a fairly abundant rare earth element, appearing in many minerals and ores.
Commercially, cerium is used in metalworking, nuclear applications, glass and enamelling. It is also commonly used in flints for lighters, as pure cerium catches fire if scratched. The element can be mined from minerals it naturally occurs in, along with minerals it tends to mix with. Cerium also appears to be a byproduct of nuclear fission. Cerium compounds and oxides are used, among other things, in chemistry and cleaning products.
The reactivity of cerium can make it dangerous to handle, especially since it gives off toxic fumes when ignited. The element also reacts with water and is known to cause itchy skin, lesions and sensitivity to heat. It can also sometimes contain traces of radioactive material if it hasn’t been fully purified, which can pose a risk to people handling cerium.
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