Tellurium

52
Te
127.60

tellurium.jpg (4159 bytes)
Vulcanizatin of rubber

Properties
Symbol Name Atomic Number Atomic Weight Group Number
Te Tellurium 52 127.60 15

Description

Standard State: solid at 298 K
Color: Silvery lustrous gray

Discovered by Muller von Reichenstein 1782; named Klapoth, who isolated it in 1798.   Tellurium is occasionally found native, but is more often found as the telluride of gold ad combined with other metals.  It is recovered commercially from the anode mud produced during the electrolytic refining of blister copper. Tellurium is p-type conductor, and shows greater conductivity in certain directions, depending on alignment of the atoms.  Its conductivity increases slightly with exposure to light. Workmen exposed to as little as .01 mg of air or less, develop "tellurium breath" which has a garlic like odor.