Yttrium

Yttrium is a chemical element with the symbol Y and atomic number 39. It is a silvery, hard metal, commonly grouped among the elements known as rare earth elements because it originates from the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and shares similar chemical properties.

The element takes its name from Ytterby, a village in Sweden near which a deposit was discovered containing several new elements. Other elements named after the same location include terbium, erbium, and ytterbium.

Physical and chemical properties

Yttrium is a transition metal in group 3 of the periodic table. When exposed to air, it forms an oxide coating that resists further corrosion. The most common oxidation state in compounds is +3, as seen in yttrium oxide Y₂O₃. Yttrium powder can burn readily.

Extraction and production

Yttrium does not occur as a pure metal in nature. It is extracted from rare earth ore deposits such as monazite and bastnäsite, and also from xenotime, a mineral rich in the heavier rare earth elements. The extraction process relies on complex chemical separation, since the rare earth elements are very similar in their properties.

Applications

Yttrium oxide is used to make phosphors formerly employed in television screens and lamps. It is also added to YAG crystals (yttrium aluminium garnet) for lasers and jewelry. Other applications include metal hardening and YBCO, a superconductor material that conducts electricity without resistance below very low temperatures.