Knowra Cobalt Cobalt Cobalt is a hard, silvery-blue transition metal with atomic number 27. Its magnetic properties and ability to form durable alloys and vivid compounds make it useful in industry and art.
Lithium-ion battery : A rechargeable battery that moves lithium ions between electrodes during charging and discharging. Cobalt stabilizes the cathode structures used in several widely deployed lithium-ion batteries.
Ferromagnetism : A form of magnetism in which aligned magnetic moments produce spontaneous, persistent magnetization. Cobalt is one of the few elements that is ferromagnetic at room temperature.
Cobaltite : A cobalt-iron arsenic sulfide mineral and an important, though limited, cobalt ore. Cobaltite is a primary mineral source of cobalt and illustrates the metal’s association with arsenic.
Artisanal mining : Small-scale mineral extraction, often using labor-intensive methods and limited mechanization. Artisanal cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has raised serious safety and labor concerns.
Superalloy : A heat-resistant alloy designed to retain strength and resist corrosion under demanding conditions. Cobalt-based superalloys preserve strength in hot turbine and engine environments.
Transition metal : An element whose atom or common ions have a partially filled d subshell. Cobalt’s d electrons underlie its colored compounds, variable oxidation states, and complex formation.
Copper mining : The extraction and processing of copper ores to produce copper metal. Most cobalt today is recovered as a by-product of copper mining.
Democratic Republic of the Congo : A Central African country that produces most of the world’s mined cobalt. Its dominant share of cobalt production makes its mining conditions and governance globally consequential.
Cobalt blue : A blue pigment made chiefly from cobalt(II) aluminate, valued for its stability and intense color. This durable pigment is one of cobalt’s best-known artistic uses.
Cobalt(II) : The +2 oxidation state of cobalt, common in salts, minerals, and aqueous complexes. Cobalt(II) compounds account for many familiar blue and pink forms of the element.
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