What is Erbium?
Erbium is a metallic chemical element grouped among the so-called rare earth metals on the periodic table of elements. Most chemists prefer to refer to these metals at lanthanides, since “rare earth” is a somewhat misleading term. Like other lanthanides, erbium has several applications, especially in the field of nuclear science, and it is also used in the production of some consumer goods. The world’s primary source of this element is China, where it is relatively abundant, in marked contrast with the “rare” in “rare earths.” This element is not usually found isolated in nature, since it is somewhat reactive. Most erbium is extracted from monzanite or gadolinite, two minerals which contain several metals in the lanthanide group. When erbium is isolated, it is soft, with a silvery luster which can tarnish in moist air. The element is identified with the symbol Er on the periodic table of elements, and it has an atomic number of 68. Carl Mosander is usually given the credit for the disc
