Article
Article
Zirconium
Article By:
Blumenthal, Warren B. Blumenthal-Zirconium, North Tonawanda, New York.
Last reviewed:January 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.755700
A chemical element, Zr, atomic number 40, atomic weight 91.22. Its naturally occurring isotopes are 90, 91, 92, 94, and 96. Zirconium is one of the more abundant elements, and is widely distributed in the Earth's crust. Being very reactive chemically, it is found only in the combined state. Under most conditions, it bonds with oxygen in preference to any other element, and it occurs in the Earth's crust only as the oxide, ZrO2, baddeleyite, or as part of a complex of oxides as in zircon, elpidite, and eudialyte. Zircon is commercially the most important ore. Zirconium and hafnium are practically indistinguishable in chemical properties, and occur only together. See also: Hafnium; Periodic table; Zircon
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