Dysprosium is a rare earth metal used in research and industrial applications. It is extracted from ores and mainly produced in China. It is a soft, silvery metal with unique magnetic properties and is used in medical imaging, nuclear research, and CD production. It is mildly toxic and precautions should be taken when handling it.
Dysprosium is a metallic chemical element in the lanthanide group of the periodic table of elements; elements in this group are sometimes referred to as rare earth metals. The element is mainly used in research and industrial applications, and most consumers do not handle it themselves, although they can benefit from its use or purchase products made with the assistance of dysprosium. The element almost never occurs in a pure form in nature; it is extracted from a variety of ores and the world’s largest producer of dysprosium is China. The element tends to be relatively expensive, as it is difficult to reliably mine.
When dysprosium is purified, it is a very soft, silvery metal that can be cut with a knife or shears. At room temperature, the element is reasonably stable, although it will begin to oxidize at higher temperatures. The metal can also demonstrate different magnetic properties, depending on the ambient temperature. You can find dysprosium on the periodic table of elements by looking for the symbol Dy, and the element has an atomic number of 66.
Credit for the discovery of the element is given to Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, who was able to prove the existence of the element in 1886, although he failed to isolate it. The element proved extremely difficult to isolate, leading scientists to name it after the Greek dysprositos, which means “difficult to approach.” It took another 80 years to learn how to extract this element, and it’s still difficult to isolate it today.
The element is often used in the production of compact discs, and is also used as a dopant in lasers and semiconductors. Dysprosium’s unique magnetic properties are used in magnetic resonance imaging machines for the purpose of medical imaging studies, and the element is also used in nuclear research. Some nuclear reactors have dysprosium alloys in their nuclear control rods, designed to safely lower the reactor temperature.
Like other rare earth elements, dysprosium does not appear to have any biological use and is thought to be mildly toxic. Various compounds and isotopes of dysprosium are certainly toxic and usually come with handling warnings. When working with the item, general precautions such as face and eye protection should be taken, and it is a good idea to avoid ingesting or handling it with bare skin.
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