Lutetium

The essentials

• Name: lutetium
• Symbol: Lu
• Atomic number: 71
• Atomic weight: 174.967 (1)
• Group in periodic table: 3
• Group name: Lanthanoid
• Period in periodic table: 6
• Block in periodic table: d-block

Description 

What follows is a brief description of lutetium. To learn more about the physical properties of lutetium, select "Physical data" from the menu to the left.

• Standard state: solid at 298 K
• Colour: silvery white

Image adapted with permission from Prof James Marshall's (U. North Texas, USA) Walking Tour of the elements CD.

Pure metal lutetium has been isolated only in recent years and is one of the more difficult to prepare. It can be prepared by the reduction of anhydrous LuCl₃ or LuF₃ by an alkali or alkaline earth metal.

The metal is silvery white and relatively stable in air. It is a rare earth metal and perhaps the most expensive of all rare elements. It is found in small amounts with all rare earth metals, and is very difficult to separate from other rare elements.