Samarium

Samarium
Properties
Atomic symbol	Sm
Atomic number	62
Classification	Metallic
Atomic mass	150.36 amu
Other Information
Date of discovery	1879
Name of discoverer	Paul Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran
Name origin	From the mineral samarskite.
Uses	Used in carbon-arc lighting, permanent magnets, lasers, alloys, headphones and as an absorber in nuclear reactors.
Obtained from	The chief ore it is found in is monazite.

Samarium is a silvery metal in the lanthanoid group. It is one of the rare earth elements.

It is named after the mineral samarskite which, in turn, was named after Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets, the Chief of Staff (Colonel) of the Russian Corps of Mining Engineers from 1845–1861, thus making samarium the first chemical element to be named after a living person.