Privacy and Security Notice

Jefferson Lab
Jefferson Lab HomeSearchContact JLab
Science Education
----------------------
Science Education HomeTeacher ResourcesStudent ZoneGames and PuzzlesPrograms and EventsSearch Education
It's Elemental
Previous ElementPrevious ElementTable of ElementsNext ElementNext Element
 60
Nd
Neodymium
144.242
Neodymium
Atomic Number:60
Atomic Weight:144.242
Melting Point:1294 K (1021°C or 1870°F)
Boiling Point:3347 K (3074°C or 5565°F)
Density:7.01 grams per cubic centimeter
Phase at Room Temperature:Solid
Element Classification:Metal
Period Number:6Group Number:noneGroup Name:Lanthanide
What's in a name?Named from the Greek words neos and didymos, which together mean "new twin."
Say what?Neodymium is pronounced as nee-eh-DIM-i-em.
History and Uses:

Neodymium was discovered by Carl F. Auer von Welsbach, a German chemist, in 1885. He separated neodymium, as well as the element praseodymium, from a material known as didymium. Today, neodymium is primarily obtained from through an ion exchange process monazite sand ((Ce, La, Th, Nd, Y)PO4), a material rich in rare earth elements.

Neodymium makes up about 18% of Misch metal, a material that is used to make flints for lighters. Neodymium is also a component of didymium glass, which is used to make certain types of welder's and glass blower's goggles. Neodymium is added to glass to remove the green color caused by iron contaminants. It can also be added to glass to create violet, red or gray colors. Some types of glass containing neodymium are used by astronomers to calibrate devices called spectrometers and other types are used to create artificial rubies for lasers. Some neodymium salts are used to color enamels and glazes.

Estimated Crustal Abundance:4.15×101 milligrams per kilogram
Estimated Oceanic Abundance:2.8×10-6 milligrams per liter
Number of Stable Isotopes:5(View all isotope data)
Ionization Energy:5.525 eV
Oxidation State:+3
Electron Shell Configuration:
1s2
2s22p6
3s23p63d10
4s24p64d104f4
5s25p6
6s2

This page is maintained by Steve Gagnon.

Citation and linking information