Lanthanum is a metallic chemical element in the rare earth group, with various commercial uses such as in lighting, drugs, and alloys. It is abundant on Earth and was discovered in 1839. Lanthanum is soft and reactive, and can cause organ damage in large quantities.
Lanthanum is a metallic chemical element in the rare earth group on the periodic table. There are a number of commercial uses of lanthanum, ranging from lighting to drugs for the treatment of kidney failure. Most consumers do not interact directly with this element, although they may own products with lanthanum components. It should be noted that although lanthanum is called a “rare earth” metal, it is actually not rare at all and is quite abundant on Earth.
In its pure form, lanthanum is extremely soft and has a silvery white color. The metal is so malleable that it can be worked almost by hand and can be easily cut with a knife. Pure lanthanum is quite unusual in nature; this element is usually isolated from ores or metal compounds that have trace amounts of lanthanum. The element is extremely reactive for a member of the rare earth group and is identified by the symbol La on the periodic table of elements. The atomic number of this element is 57 and some scientists classify it in the lanthanide group, preferring this technical term to “rare earth metals”.
The discovery of lanthanum is credited to Carl Mosander, who identified it in 1839. Nearly 100 years later, another chemist successfully isolated the element. Subsequent developments in chemistry made it easier for people to extract lanthanum and other rare earth metals from compounds, making them more readily available. The name of the feature comes from the Greek lanthanein, meaning “to lie hidden,” a reference to the difficulty Mosander had in identifying the feature.
Glass and optical manufacturing use large amounts of lanthanum, and the element is also used as a hydrocarbon cracking catalyst in oil refineries. Commercial studio lighting can integrate elements of lanthanum and is also used in superconductors and various metal alloys. In alloys, lanthanum softens a metal, making it easier to work with and sometimes more durable as well. A number of other industries use lanthanum in things as diverse as microscopes and pool cleaners.
This element does not appear to play a vital biological role, although it may be mildly toxic. Studies of lanthanum exposure suggest it could cause organ damage in large quantities. Drugs that use lanthanum are approved for human use, but people should otherwise be careful when handling lanthanum, especially around substances it can react with, such as nitrogen, halogens, and sulfur.
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