Applications
Terbium is rare and expensive, so it has few commercial uses. Some minor uses
are in lasers, semiconductor devices, and phosphorous in colour television
tubes. It is also used in solid-state devices, as stabilizer of fuel cells which
operate at high temperature.
Terbium in the environment
Terbium is one of the rarer rare-earth elements, although is twice as common in
the Earth's crust as Silver. It is never found in nature as free element, but is
is contained in many minerals. The most important ore are monazite, bastnasite
and cerite. The main mining areas are China, USA, India, Sri Lanka, Brazil and
Australia and reserves fo Terbium are estimated to be around 300.000 tonnes.
World production is 10 tonnes a year.
Health effects of Terbium
Terbium has no bilogical role, it may be mildly toxic by ingestion. Terbium
powder and compound are very irritating if they come into contact with the skin
and the eyes. Its toxicity has not been investigated in detail.
Environmental effects of Terbium
Terbium poses no Environmental threat to plants or animals.
