Rare Earth Elements (REE) as well as tantalum and niobium are of tremendous importance because of their specific high-technology applications. The contributions gathered in this volume give an up-to-date survey on the mineralogy, primary ore deposits, prospecting, processing and applications of REE, Ta, and Nd, making this volume a useful handbook for practitioners and students. Finally, the comprehensive coverage of the fundamental aspects, especially as regards REE as tracers of geological phenomena, will prove extremely helpful.

A readable, informative, fascinating entry on each one of the 100-odd chemical elements, arranged alphabetically from actinium to zirconium. Each entry comprises an explanation of where the element's name comes from, followed by Body element (the role it plays in living things), Element ofhistory (how and when it was discovered), Economic element (what it is used for), Environmental element (where it occurs, how much), Chemical element (facts, figures and narrative), and Element of surprise (an amazing, little-known fact about it). A wonderful 'dipping into' source for the familyreference shelf and for students.

The growth and development witnessed today in modern science, engineering, and technology owes a heavy debt to the rare, refractory, and reactive metals group, of which niobium is a member. Extractive Metallurgy of Niobium presents a vivid account of the metal through its comprehensive discussions of properties and applications, resources and resource processing, chemical processing and compound preparation, metal extraction, and refining and consolidation. Typical flow sheets adopted in some leading niobium-producing countries for the beneficiation of various niobium sources are presented, and various chemical processes for producing pure forms of niobium intermediates such as chloride, fluoride, and oxide are discussed. The book also explains how to liberate the metal from its intermediates and describes the physico-chemical principles involved. It is an excellent reference for chemical metallurgists, hydrometallurgists, extraction and process metallurgists, and minerals processors. It is also valuable to a wide variety of scientists, engineers, technologists, and students interested in the topic.

This exhaustive work in three volumes and over 1300 pages provides a thorough treatment of ultra-high temperature materials with melting points over 2500 °C. The first volume focuses on Carbon and Refractory Metals, whilst the second and third are dedicated solely to Refractory compounds and the third to Refractory Alloys and Composites respectively. Topics included are physical (crystallographic, thermodynamic, thermo physical, electrical, optical, physico-mechanical, nuclear) and chemical (solid-state diffusion, interaction with chemical elements and compounds, interaction with gases, vapours and aqueous solutions) properties of the individual physico-chemical phases of carbon (graphite/graphene), refractory metals (W, Re, Os, Ta, Mo, Nb, Ir) and compounds (oxides, nitrides, carbides, borides, silicides) with melting points in this range. It will be of interest to researchers, engineers, postgraduate, graduate and undergraduate students alike. The reader is provided with the full qualitative and quantitative assessment for the materials, which could be applied in various engineering devices and environmental conditions at ultra-high temperatures, on the basis of the latest updates in the field of physics, chemistry, materials science and engineering.

With more than 1 million copies sold worldwide, The Elements is the most entertaining, comprehensive, and visually arresting book on all 118 elements in the periodic table. Includes a poster of Theodore Gray's iconic photographic periodic table of the elements! Based on seven years of research and photography by Theodore Gray and Nick Mann, The Elements presents the most complete and visually arresting representation available to the naked eye of every atom in the universe. Organized sequentially by atomic number, every element is represented by a big beautiful photograph that most closely represents it in its purest form. Several additional photographs show each element in slightly altered forms or as used in various practical ways. Also included are fascinating stories of the elements, as well as data on the properties of each, including atomic number, atomic symbol, atomic weight, density, atomic radius, as well as scales for electron filling order, state of matter, and an atomic emission spectrum. This of solid science and stunning artistic photographs is the perfect gift book for every sentient creature in the universe.

The Chemistry of Vanadium, Niobium and Tantalum gives a comprehensive discussion on the discovery, origin, and metallurgical aspects of vanadium, niobium, and tantalum. A section is also focused on the nuclear properties, as well as the physical and chemical properties of each compound. The history and distribution of vanadium, niobium, and tantalum are explored, along with the purification and extraction procedures of the said elements. The book also explores the derivative compounds such as the alloys, hydride, halides, and oxides. Another section of the book is focused on the physical and chemical modifications of the elements that generate such by-products as the cyanides, hydroxides, and sulfides. Different complexes of the elements such as halogeno- and oxyhalogeno-complexes are discussed in detail. The organometallic chemistry of niobium, tantalum, and vanadium are also identified. The book will be a useful tool for chemical engineers, chemical scientists, and students in the field of chemistry.

The book is concerned with understanding the fundamental mechanisms of high temperature alloy oxidation. It uses this understanding to develop methods of predicting oxidation rates and the way they change with temperature, gas chemistry and alloy composition. The focus is on designing (or selecting) alloy compositions which provide optimal resistance to attack by corrosive gases. . Emphasises quantitative calculations for predicting reaction rates and the effects of temperature, oxidant activities and alloy compositions. . Uses phase diagrams and diffusion paths to analyse and interpret scale structures and internal precipitation distributions . Provides a detailed examination of corrosion in industrial gases (water vapour effects, carburisation and metal dusting, sulphidation) . Text is well supported by numerous micrographs, phase diagrams and tabulations of relevant thermodynamic and kinetic data . Combines physical chemistry and materials science methodologies.

Minerals are part of virtually every product we use. Common examples include copper used in electrical wiring and titanium used to make airplane frames and paint pigments. The Information Age has ushered in a number of new mineral uses in a number of products including cell phones (e.g., tantalum) and liquid crystal displays (e.g., indium). For some minerals, such as the platinum group metals used to make cataytic converters in cars, there is no substitute. If the supply of any given mineral were to become restricted, consumers and sectors of the U.S. economy could be significantly affected. Risks to minerals supplies can include a sudden increase in demand or the possibility that natural ores can be exhausted or become too difficult to extract. Minerals are more vulnerable to supply restrictions if they come from a limited number of mines, mining companies, or nations. Baseline information on minerals is currently collected at the federal level, but no established methodology has existed to identify potentially critical minerals. This book develops such a methodology and suggests an enhanced federal initiative to collect and analyze the additional data needed to support this type of tool.