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| A fairly soft grey metal that belongs to the lanthanide group. It reacts with oxygen to form a green oxide and is usually stored under mineral oil.
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Lumps ampouled under argon.
As with most of the lanthanides, cerium metal easily catches fire when finely divided and sparks when cut. It is the most common of the "rare" earths, making up to 40% of the content of some monazite ores. Cerium is among the more reactive lanthanides and gradually turns a moldy green, rather like the surface of a ham, when left exposed to the air. The fine green powder is cerium oxide, a material which finds wide use as a polishing agent. The pieces here have been cut from partially oxidized material and then stored under argon. Hopefully the exposed surfaces will remain shiny allowing comparison between the metal and its oxide.
Source: China
Size: 0.75"
Purity: 99%
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Torch lighter flint.
The flint in this friction lighter is made of mischmetal, the name for a crude mixture of rare earths that is made by reducing the concentrated ore without attempting to separate the many different lanthanides. Cerium is the dominant constituent. As well as finding application as flints, mischmetal is used in the steel industry as a getter for oxygen.
Source: hardware store
Size: 5"
Purity: n/a
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