Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[sylvester80]

From one of those sites on Cobalt:

Cobalt is one of the world's essential elements. Of all elements, 27 are essential to man. Cobalt is one. It has many strategic and irreplaceable industrial uses but it is as the central component of Vitamin B12 that it is VITAL.

Cobalt has many uses based on several of its unique properties:

- It has a high melting point (1493°C) and retains its strength to a high temperature - Cutting tools, superalloys, surface coating, high speed steels, cemented carbides, diamond tooling

- Cobalt is ferromagnetic (nickel and iron are as well) and retains this property to a higher temperature Curie Point) than any other material 1100°C - Alnico magnets, recording tape, soft magnetic materials, samarium cobalt, NdBFe + cobalt

- Cobalt in conjunction with silica, etc., produces intense blue colours - Cobalt Blue in paints, glazes, enamels, etc.

- Cobalt is multivalent - Catalytic action is enhanced - OXO reaction, Fischer-Tropsch, oil desulphurisation, paint and ink driers, tyre adhesives