dysprositos

Dysprositos is a Greek-derived term meaning "hard to obtain" or "difficult to obtain." In the history of chemistry it is the etymological root of the name of the lanthanide element dysprosium and, by extension, of related nomenclature for the rare earths. The word was chosen to reflect the challenge of isolating the metal from its neighboring rare earths in the late 19th century.

Dysprosium (Dy, atomic number 66) is a soft, silvery lanthanide metal. It is typically found in minerals rich in rare earth elements, such as gadolinite, xenotime, bastnäsite, and monazite, where it occurs together with other lanthanides. Commercial production involves processing these minerals to separate the lanthanide series, followed by reduction to yield the metal.

In terms of properties, dysprosium most often exhibits the +3 oxidation state in compounds. It has a high neutron absorption cross-section, which makes it useful in nuclear applications, particularly as a component in control rods and in certain alloys and magnets. Dysprosium is also used in specialized phosphors for lighting and display technologies, and in various high-temperature, corrosion-resistant materials.

See also dysprosium, rare earth element, lanthanide series.