INDIUM (IN)

last update 01 oct 08

* Indium is a member of the main-group metals family:

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   INDIUM / In / 49

   A soft, silvery metal with a low melting point and moderate 
   resistance to corrosion.  Two isotopes are found in nature:
   In<115/49> (96%), which is weakly radioactive with a half-life
   of 6E14 years, and In<113/49> (4%), which is stable.

     atomic weight:       114.818
     abundance:           69th
     density:             7.31 g/cc 
     melting point:       157 C      
     boiling point:       2,080 C
     valence:             1 2 3
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Indium is fairly scarce, with production in some tens of tonnes a year, and the metal has few applications. It is used to create low-melting-point alloys for sprinkler and fire alarm systems. It is toxic in moderate quantities.