types:
heavy metal
a metal of relatively high density (specific gravity greater than about 5) or of high relative atomic weight (especially one that is poisonous like mercury or lead)
base metal
a metal that is common and not considered precious
noble metal
any metal that is resistant to corrosion or oxidation
Sb,
antimony,
atomic number 51
a metallic element having four allotropic forms; used in a wide variety of alloys; found in stibnite
Bi,
atomic number 83,
bismuth
a heavy brittle diamagnetic trivalent metallic element (resembles arsenic and antimony chemically); usually recovered as a by-product from ores of other metals
Cd,
atomic number 48,
cadmium
a soft bluish-white ductile malleable toxic bivalent metallic element; occurs in association with zinc ores
Ca,
atomic number 20,
calcium
a white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light; the fifth most abundant element in the earth's crust; an important component of most plants and animals
Ce,
atomic number 58,
cerium
a ductile grey metallic element of the lanthanide series; used in lighter flints; the most abundant of the rare-earth group
Cs,
atomic number 55,
caesium,
cesium
a soft silver-white ductile metallic element (liquid at normal temperatures); the most electropositive and alkaline metal
Co,
atomic number 27,
cobalt
a hard ferromagnetic silver-white bivalent or trivalent metallic element; a trace element in plant and animal nutrition
Cu,
atomic number 29,
copper
a ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor
Cm,
atomic number 96,
curium
a radioactive transuranic metallic element; produced by bombarding plutonium with helium nuclei
Ga,
atomic number 31,
gallium
a rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element; brittle at low temperatures but liquid above room temperature; occurs in trace amounts in bauxite and zinc ores
Hf,
atomic number 72,
hafnium
a grey tetravalent metallic element that resembles zirconium chemically and is found in zirconium minerals; used in filaments for its ready emission of electrons
Ho,
atomic number 67,
holmium
a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs together with yttrium; forms highly magnetic compounds
Ir,
atomic number 77,
iridium
a heavy brittle metallic element of the platinum group; used in alloys; occurs in natural alloys with platinum or osmium
Fe,
atomic number 26,
iron
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
La,
atomic number 57,
lanthanum
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
Pb,
atomic number 82,
lead
a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey
Li,
atomic number 3,
lithium
a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group; the lightest metal known; occurs in several minerals
Mg,
atomic number 12,
magnesium
a light, malleable, bivalent, silver-white metallic element that burns with brilliant white flame when pure; occurs naturally only in combination with other elements
Mn,
atomic number 25,
manganese
a hard brittle grey polyvalent metallic element that resembles iron but is not magnetic; used in making steel; occurs in many minerals
Mo,
atomic number 42,
molybdenum
a polyvalent metallic element that resembles chromium and tungsten in its properties; used to strengthen and harden steel
Nd,
atomic number 60,
neodymium
a yellow trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs in monazite and bastnasite in association with cerium and lanthanum and praseodymium
Np,
atomic number 93,
neptunium
a radioactive transuranic metallic element; found in trace amounts in uranium ores; a by-product of the production of plutonium
Ni,
atomic number 28,
nickel
a hard malleable ductile silvery metallic element that is resistant to corrosion; used in alloys; occurs in pentlandite and smaltite and garnierite and millerite
Nb,
atomic number 41,
niobium
a soft grey ductile metallic element used in alloys; occurs in niobite; formerly called columbium
Os,
atomic number 76,
osmium
a hard brittle blue-grey or blue-black metallic element that is one of the platinum metals; the heaviest metal known
Pd,
atomic number 46,
palladium
a silver-white metallic element of the platinum group that resembles platinum; occurs in some copper and nickel ores; does not tarnish at ordinary temperatures and is used (alloyed with gold) in jewelry
Po,
atomic number 84,
polonium
a radioactive metallic element that is similar to tellurium and bismuth; occurs in uranium ores but can be produced by bombarding bismuth with neutrons in a nuclear reactor
K,
atomic number 19,
potassium
a light soft silver-white metallic element of the alkali metal group; oxidizes rapidly in air and reacts violently with water; is abundant in nature in combined forms occurring in sea water and in carnallite and kainite and sylvite
Pr,
atomic number 59,
praseodymium
a soft yellowish-white trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; can be recovered from bastnasite or monazite by an ion-exchange process
Pm,
atomic number 61,
promethium
a soft silvery metallic element of the rare earth group having no stable isotope; was discovered in radioactive form as a fission product of uranium
Re,
atomic number 75,
rhenium
a rare heavy polyvalent metallic element that resembles manganese chemically and is used in some alloys; is obtained as a by-product in refining molybdenum
Rh,
atomic number 45,
rhodium
a white hard metallic element that is one of the platinum group and is found in platinum ores; used in alloys with platinum
Rb,
atomic number 37,
rubidium
a soft silvery metallic element of the alkali metal group; burns in air and reacts violently in water; occurs in carnallite and lepidolite and pollucite