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Encyclopedia of Geochemistry pp 1–3Cite as

Osmium

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

FormalPara Element Data

Atomic Symbol: Os

Atomic Number: 76

Atomic Weight: 190.2

Isotopes and Abundances:

  • 184: 0.0174 %

  • 186: 1.5935 %

  • 187: 1.5129 %

  • 188: 13.296 %

  • 189: 16.217 %

  • 190: 26.376 %

  • 192: 40.988 %

1 Atm Melting Point: 3030 °C

1 Atm Boiling Point: 5010 °C

Common Valences: 0, +3, +4, +8

Ionic Radii: 53–77 pm

Pauling Electronegativity: 2.2

First Ionization Potential: 8.44 eV

Chondritic (CI) Abundance: 490 ppb

Silicate Earth Abundance: 3.9 ppb

Crustal Abundance: 0.031 ppb (continental), 0.055 (oceanic)

Seawater Abundance: 10 pg/L

Core Abundance: 2800 ppb

Properties

Osmium is a highly refractory, bluish-white metal (hexagonal close packed). It is hard and brittle and has a density of 22,600 kg/m3, the highest of any element. Osmium is not a structural constituent of any mineral, but it alloys with iridium and ruthenium and is also found in high abundance in some sulfide minerals, such as laurite (RuS2). Osmium has oxidation states ranging from 0 to +8, but in nature 0, +3, +4, and...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Richard J. Walker

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  1. Richard J. Walker
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Correspondence to Richard J. Walker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth, Cornell University Department of Earth, Ithaca, New York, USA

    William M. White

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Walker, R.J. (2016). Osmium. In: White, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_127-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_127-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39193-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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