Cobalt (Lat. Cobaltum) is a lustrous, brittle, corrosion-resistant, and magnetic metal found in various ores of copper, nickel, and iron. Cobalt is a good conductor of heat and electricity and has a wide range of industrial applications. It has a melting point of 1495°C and a boiling point of 2870°C.
Today, cobalt (chemical symbol Co) is well known as one of the essential materials for the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. An average electric car battery contains about 8-12 kilograms of cobalt. This metal is used not only in electric cars but also in much smaller devices, including computer and smartphone batteries.
Cobalt is also used in another rather unique area of industry: the production of powerful magnets. These magnets are used in various motors and generators. Cobalt is also used in the production of various heat-, corrosion-, and wear-resistant metal alloys, which are then used in industries such as energy, aviation, and medicine.
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