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Erbium

Erbium is one of the three Lanthanides named after the small Swedish town of Ytterby. The other two are terbium and ytterbium.

Like many metals, erbium is silvery-grey, soft and malleable. It does not occur as a free element in nature, nor is it well known to most of us. However, erbium is more abundant than bromine, iodine, mercury, and cadmium.

Individuals may not encounter erbium in their daily lives. However, it has applications in industry and in research. In the metallurgical industry, erbium is used to reduce the hardness of metals in order to improve their usefulness. Special safety glasses for welders and metal workers contain erbium. Also, erbium is found in scientific instruments used for detailed physical and chemical studies of matter.