Lutetium

Lutetium, chemical element, symbol Lu; for physical constants see Periodic Table. Lutetium (formerly spelled “lutecium”) was discovered by Georges Urbain in 1907, by separating the ytterbia then known into neoytterbia and lutetia, rare-earth oxides. It occurs in all minerals contaning yttrium, and in monazite, which is the source. Lutetium is prepared by reducing the anhydrous chloride or fluoride with an alkali or alkaline earth metal. Lutetium is a silvery-white, soft, reactive metal. It is the second rarest of the rare earth metals. Ion-exchange and solvent extraction techniques have led to much easier isolation of the so-called “rare-earth” elements. Lutetium and its compounds are as catalysts in organic chemistry reactions.