Physical properties
Osmium is a hard, brittle, blue-gray metal, and the densest stable element—about twice as dense as See more

Osmium is obtained commercially as a by-product from nickel and copper mining and processing. During electrorefining of copper and nickel, noble metals such as silver, gold and the … See more

The primary hazard of metallic osmium is the potential formation of osmium tetroxide (OsO4), which is volatile and very poisonous. This reaction is thermodynamically favorable at room temperature, but the rate depends on temperature and … See more

Osmium was discovered in 1803 by Smithson Tennant and William Hyde Wollaston in London, England. The discovery of osmium is intertwined with that of platinum and … See more

Osmium is one of the least abundant stable elements in Earth's crust, with an average mass fraction of 50 parts per trillion in the continental crust.
Osmium is found in … See more

Because osmium is virtually unforgeable when fully dense and very fragile when sintered, it is rarely used in its pure state, but is instead often … See more

Between 1990 and 2010, the nominal price of osmium metal was almost constant, while inflation reduced the real value from ~US$950/ounce to ~US$600/ounce. Because osmium has few commercial applications, it is not heavily traded and prices are seldom … See more