Thulium (Tm)

Thulium (Tm)

BAYSWATER POWER STATION, NEW SOUTH WALES

Atomic Number: 69
Atomic Weight: 168.93
Melting Point: 1545
Boiling Point: 1947
Specific Gravity: 9.321
Valence(s): 2 or 3

Cleve discovered Thulium in 1879. It is the most rare of the Lanthanides. The most reliable source of Thulium is monazite. Due to the high price of Thulium, it has few practical uses. There is potential use for Thulium in the nuclear industry as a radiation source. It is named for "Thule", the earliest name for Scandinavia. [LM] {RW}