Cobalt

What it is and where it is found
Cobalt occurs as an admixture to nickel, but also copper, silver, iron and uranium, with the nickel content being about 3 to 4 times higher than the cobalt content in the ore. The composition of the original ore determines how exactly cobalt metal will be won. Cobalt does not melt below a temperature of 1,495°C and boils at 2,870°C. Its density is 8.90 g/cm³.

What it is used for
Cobalt is a steel-gray, very tough heavy metal. It is harder than iron and nickel and is ferromagnetic. In industry it is therefore used almost exclusively as an alloying metal to increase the wear resistance and high-temperature strength of steel and super alloys, e.g. high-temperature alloys. In its oxidic form it is increasingly being used in battery production and in chemical compounds. Generally speaking, cobalt is a strategically important metal.

How it is traded
Cobalt is traded in the form of broken cathodes or in granular or powder form.