Cobalt

Cobalt is a hard, shiny, gray transition metal that can be magnetized like iron. Although the metal is gray, some of its compounds give glass and ceramics a vivid blue color. In nature, cobalt is usually chemically combined with other elements in minerals, often alongside copper and nickel. Most commercial cobalt is recovered as a by-product when copper and nickel ores are processed; cobaltite is another source. Producers separate cobalt compounds from the other materials and convert them into metal or useful chemicals. Cobalt compounds are important ingredients in many rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, including those used in phones. Cobalt-containing alloys also withstand high temperatures, making them useful in jet engines.