71Lu Lutetium
Year Discovered
1907
Discovered By
Georges Urbain of France, Carl Auer von Welsbach of Germany and C. James of the USA
Biological Rating
Not necessary for life.
Description
Named from the Greek name for Paris, lutetium is a very hard, very dense silvery metal. It is a fairly rare and it is very difficult to isolate into pure form. It has very few practical uses, although it is used as a catalyst, and in phosphors for color TV tubes.
Biological Benefits
Lutetium has no known biological use. It does stimulate the metabolism.
Role in Life Processes
No known benefits for life processes in plants and animals.
Sources
Lutetium is obtained from the minerals bastnasite and monazite, where it occurs as an impurity. It is mined in the USA, china, Russia, Australia, and India. Lutetium is found in small amounts in any mineral containing yttrium.
