Discovered in: 1803

Discovered by: Jons Jakob Berzelius and W. Hisinger of Sweden

Description: Named after the asteroid Ceres, which was discovered at the same time, cerium is a soft, gray metal. It is very active, reacting with air, water and most acids and bases. Pure cerium may ignite if scratched with a knife. Cerium is the most common of the lanthanide metals. It comprises about 50 % of the alloy mischmetal, which is used in lighter flints. It also is used in heat resistant alloys, and gas lantern mantles. Cerium is used as a component and decolorizer of glass and ceramics, in carbon arc lamps, as a catalyst, and as a polishing compound. It also is used in the walls of self-cleaning ovens (where it prevents cooking residue from collecting) and in certain nuclear applications.

Biological Rating: No known benefit to life processes in plants and animals.

Biological Benefits: Cerium has no known biological use. It is known to stimulate the metabolism.

Percentage Amount in the Human Body: 0.00006 %

Obtained from: Cerium chiefly is obtained from cerium-rich monazite and bastnasite. It also is found in allanite, cerite, samarskite and the titanium mineral perovskite. It is mined in the USA, China, Russia, Australia, and India.