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Cobalt
Mineable
Thousands of years ago the distinctive coloration of Cobalt was used to create blue-tinged glass that was admired throughout the known world. Since that time, Cobalt has become recognized as a strategic metal with diverse military and commercial applications. Brittle in its unalloyed form, Cobalt Alloys exhibit tremendous hardness and resistance to corrosion. When combined with Niobium, the resulting High Temperature Alloy can withstand even the intense heat and pressure generated by the combustion chamber of a fusion engine.
Precautions
Although cobalt is an essential element for life in minute amounts, at higher levels of exposure it shows mutagenic and carcinogenic effects similar to nickel (see Cobalt Poisoning).Powdered cobalt in metal form is a fire hazard. After nickel and chromium, cobalt is a major cause of contact dermatitis.
Cobalt-60
60Co is a high-energy gamma ray emitter. Acute high-dose exposures to gamma emissions can cause severe burns and death. Extended exposures increase the risk of morbidity or mortality from cancer. Nuclear weapon designs could intentionally incorporate 59Co, some of which would be activated in a nuclear explosion to produce 60Co. The 60Co, dispersed as nuclear fallout, creates what is sometimes called a dirty bomb or cobalt bomb.
Availability
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