Dysprosium

Symbol: Dy

Atomic Number: 66

Atomic Weight: 162.50

Dysprosium (symbol Dy, number 66) is a rare element, which is never found as a free element in nature. It has seven isotopes. Dysprosium was discovered in 1886, but it was not isolated until later, when ion exchange methods started to be used. The element was discovered by the French chemist de Boisbaudran as an impurity in erbium's oxide erbia. It was isolated in 1906 by another French chemist, Georges Urbain. However, it was only in the 1950s when pure samples were produced.

Dysprosium is a component of fergusonite, xenotime, blomstrandine, euxenite, gadolinite, polycrase, and other minerals. Currently, most...Read More