Holmium - Ho

Holmium (Ho)

Holmium is a bright, silvery lanthanide metal. It occurs as a minor component in minerals such as monazite and bastnäsite and is recovered during rare-earth processing.

Uses and applications

Holmium can absorb neutrons and is used in some nuclear-control applications. Holmium-containing materials are also used in specialised magnets and in solid-state lasers.

Holmium and water treatment

Holmium is not a routine water-treatment chemical. Its process-water relevance is mainly in rare-earth mining and separation, where the composition and treatment of aqueous streams depend on the complete mixture of metals and process reagents.

Occurrence and environmental context

Holmium is recovered from rare-earth minerals, commonly through processes that separate chemically similar lanthanides. Environmental behaviour depends on its chemical form, solubility, and interactions with minerals and dissolved substances in water and soil.

Health and safety

Health risks depend on the particular holmium compound and exposure route. Avoid inhaling dust, consult the relevant safety data sheet, and use appropriate occupational controls when handling metal or compounds.

Back to the periodic table of elements