Cobalt: Latest Updates on Its Uses, Market Trends and Prices
Cobalt Unleashed:
Fanning the Flames of this Chemical Element
Hey there! Let's dive into the thrilling tale of cobalt, a chemical element that's been a part of humanity's journey for centuries. As you may know, cobalt's atomic number is 27, and it's symbolically represented by the letter Co on the periodic table.
Early Days:
Cobalt has been used in various art forms for hundreds of years, notably as a vibrant blue pigment in ceramics, pottery, and glassware. This rich history can be traced back to ancient cultures like the Persians, Egyptians, and Chinese, who used cobalt minerals to create stunning pieces, without even realizing it was the main ingredient for their deep blue hue!
Artistic Achievements:
One breathtaking example of cobalt's historical use in art is the Willow pattern plate, showcasing cobalt blue decorations, found in Auckland Museum, New Zealand.
** Steph's Secrets:**
Did you know that thirty years before Georg Brandt's famous study on cobalt, a young German woman named Dorothea Juliana Wallich had already published books detailing her intricate chemical research using ores containing cobalt? She was interested in a substance known as the "philosopher's stone," a legendary material believed to turn base metals into precious ones. Wallich discovered thermochromic effects with cobalt compounds, producing colors ranging from rose, violet blue, sky blue, and grass green when heated and cooled.
Magnetic Martin:
As a transition metal, cobalt occupies the center of the periodic table, a group of 28 elements with common properties such as high melting points, ductility, and magnetism, cobalt being one of the few naturally magnetic metals.
From Myth to Mystery:
The name cobalt is derived from the German word "kobold," small mountain goblins or elves, because miners believed these mystical creatures were responsible for the "unknown" substance in silver ore that produced toxic fumes.
Practical Applications:
Nowadays, cobalt is primarily used for its hardness, resistance to corrosion, and heat resistance. This combination makes cobalt alloys highly desirable for applications such as hip and knee replacements, turbine blades, and lithium-ion battery components. Demand for cobalt continues to grow, particularly in the electric vehicle industry.
Health Benefits:
Cobalt is essential to both human and animal health, as it forms the core of the vitamin B12 structure. B12 is essential for healthy red blood cell production and neurological function. People usually obtain B12 from animal-derived food sources like meat, dairy products, and eggs.
Ruminant Revelations:
Interestingly, ruminants like cows, sheep, goats, and deer get their cobalt from the plants they eat. Cobalt-producing bacteria in their stomachs convert the cobalt into vitamin B12. A famous example of cobalt's importance in agriculture is the "bush sickness" epidemic in New Zealand during the 20th century, caused by low metal concentrations in the volcanic soils. Scientists found that adding just a few grams of cobalt per hectare resolved the issue.
Related Content:
Cobalt is one of several "micronutrients" essential for human health and wellbeing. educational resources on the Science Learning Hub can help you delve deeper into this fascinating element and its role in our world.
Useful Links:
To learn more about cobalt's ancient history and contributions to art, science, and medicine, check out "Women in their Element," focusing on women and their elemental research, or Isaac Newton's notes on creating the philosophers' stone!
The essential mineral cobalt is not only crucial for the production of red blood cells and neurological function in humans, but it also plays a significant role in the health-and-wellness domain. This micronutrient, together with other resources, can be further explored in educational materials on the Science Learning Hub.
As cobalt is vital for both human and animal health, and since ruminants like cows obtain cobalt from the plants they eat via cobalt-producing bacteria in their stomachs, understanding the impact of this element on our world extends beyond art and science, reaching the realms of health-and-wellness as well.
