Named after the asteroid Ceres, discovered in 1801
Year Discovered
1803
Discovery Credits
Discovered by J. J. Berzelius and W. Hisinger at Vestmanland,
Sweden. First isolated by W. F. Hillebrand and T. H. Norton in 1875 at
Washington, DC, USA
Remarks
Reactive, gray metal, most abundant of the (Rare Earth) lanthanide metals. Tarnishes
in air, burns when heated, reacts rapidly with water, dissolved in acids.
Used in glass, gas mantles, ceramics, and alloys. Misch alloy ( predominantly
Ce) is used for lighter "flints".
Diagnostic tests:
There are no simple diagnostic tests to identify cerium.
Infusible cerium minerals glow with exaggerated incandescence in the flame
test (along with Sr, Mg, Zr, Zn, Ca - the "lime light effect").
References
Emsley, J., 1991; THE ELEMENTS : Sec. Ed.,
Clarendon Press, Oxford, 251 p.
(* - Mineral Name Is Not IMA Approved)
(! - New Dana classification added or changed from Danas New Mineralogy)
(? - IMA Discredited Mineral Species Name)
There are 237 minerals with Ce in the Mineralogy Database.