Samarium (Sm)

Samarium (Sm)

Atomic Number: 62
Atomic Weight: 150.4
Melting Point: 1077
Boiling Point: 1791
Specific Gravity: 7.536 (alpha) 7.40 (beta)
Valence(s): 2 or 3

Samarium was discovered by de Boisbaudran in 1879. It is commercially obtained from the minerals monazite and bastnasite. Compounded with other lanthanide elements, it is used for lighting in the motion picture industry. It is also used in optical lasers and in controls rods of nuclear reactors. [LM] {RW}