Appearance and Characteristics
Harmful effects:
Neodymium is considered to be moderately toxic.
Characteristics:
Neodymium is a soft, bright, silvery white metal. It is one of the lanthanide rare earth metals. It forms a flaky oxide coating in air. Unlike many metal oxide layers, this one does not protect the metal from further oxidation.
Neodymium has two allotropic forms, transforming from hexagonal to body-centered cubic above 800K (527 oC). Neodymium usually exists as a trivalent ion, Nd3+, in its compounds. Most of its salts are pale purple in color.
Uses of Neodymium
Neodymium is used with iron and boron to create powerful permanent magnets, also called NIB magnets. NIB magnets are used in computers, cell phones, medical equipment, toys, motors, wind turbines and audio systems.
Neodymium is used as a crystal (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet) in lasers. These ND:YAG lasers have numerous applications. For example, they are used in medicine to treat skin cancers and for laser hair removal; and in industry they are used to cut and weld steel.
Neodymium is used to make specialized goggles for glass blowers.
The metal is also used in a spark producing alloy (misch metal) for cigarette lighter flints.
Neodymium salts are used to color glasses and enamels.