This Element has been sponsored by Dr. David Pruett in honor of David and Janis Pruett. 8.9 at 20 o C Cobalt was discovered in 1735 by Brandt.
Cobalt is a brittle, hard metal, that closely resembles iron and nickel in appearance.
It is often alloyed with iron, nickel, and other metals to make Alnico, a substance of unusually good magnetic strength. Compounds containing cobalt are used for blue tints in glass, and in dyes. Cobalt compounds in trace amounts are also essential for good health. The cobalt-60 isotope is an important gamma ray source, and is extensively used as a tracer and a radiotherapeutic agent.