Holmium Metal Ho Rare Earth Magnetic Material 

Holmium is a bright, soft and silvery-white rare-earth metal that is relatively soft and malleable. While it is stable in dry air at room temperature, it will react rapidly with water or when heated to form a yellow oxide (Ho2O3).

In nature, holmium is found in monazite and gadolinite mineral deposits, where it is almost always in a trivalent state, containing Ho(III)ions. These trivalent holmium ions have similar fluorescent properties as other rare-earth ions and are often used in similar applications. Holmium is unique in that it has unusually high magnetic properties and is recognized as having the highest magnetic permeability of all known elements.

Usage

Holmium has few commercial applications. It can be used to colour glass yellow and is also used in ceramics, lasers and nuclear applications. Holmium has the highest magnetic moment of any naturally occurring element, and has therefore been used to create the highest known magnetic fields. These magnetic properties are likely to be further exploited in the future.