Neodymium
Element 60 · Lanthanide
Neodymium is the ‘new twin’ separated from didymium in 1885, and it has become one of the most commercially important rare earth metals. Alloyed with iron and boron, it forms NdFeB magnets — the strongest permanent magnets known — which shrink motors and speakers while making them more powerful.
Beyond magnets, neodymium colors glass a distinctive purple, dopes the crystals of Nd:YAG lasers used in manufacturing and medicine, and shows up in capacitors and camera filters. Demand for it tracks the growth of electric vehicles and wind power almost directly.
Key facts
| Atomic number | 60 |
|---|---|
| Atomic weight | 144.24 |
| Category | Lanthanide |
| Group / Period | — / 6 |
| Block | f |
| Electron configuration | 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f4 |
| Common oxidation states | +3 |
| State at STP | Solid |
| Electronegativity | 1.14 |
| Density | 7.01 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 1024 °C |
| Boiling point | 3074 °C |
Occurrence
Neodymium is the second most abundant lanthanide, found in monazite and bastnasite ores. Major deposits are mined in China, with growing production elsewhere.
Applications
NdFeB permanent magnets for motors and turbines
Nd:YAG lasers for industry and medicine
Purple glass coloring
Headphones, speakers, and hard drives
Common compounds
- neodymium oxide
- neodymium chloride
- neodymium fluoride
Neodymium magnets can lift more than a thousand times their own weight — a coin-sized disc can hold up a full toolbox.
Data source: IUPAC standard atomic weights 2021