Cobalt

Cobalt, with the chemical symbol Co, is a transition metal discovered in 1735 by Swedish mining engineer Georg Brandt. His discovery marked a significant advancement in metallurgy as Brandt successfully isolated cobalt from nickel and copper ores.

Although cobalt is not particularly abundant on Earth, constituting approximately 0.0029% of the Earth's crust, it is found in various minerals, including cobaltite and skutterudite. Known for its intense blue color, cobalt was historically used as a pigment.

Cobalt finds broad application in various industries. It is a crucial component of cobalt alloys used in aerospace and medical technology. Additionally, it is employed in rechargeable batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries, playing an increasingly important role in the context of electromobility. Future applications could emerge in energy storage, especially concerning renewable energy, and hydrogen production.