Tellurium, atomic number 52, was discovered in the year 1782 by Muller von Reichenstein. But it got its name only in 1798 when German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth officially called it ‘tellurium’. We have discovered thirty isotopes of tellurium although natural tellurium has only eight isotopes. The element and its compounds are considered toxic for humans.
This element is usually found as calaverite, which is the telluride of gold. It is found combined with other metals as well. Occasionally, tellurium is also found in its natural state. One can obtain amorphous tellurium by precipitating it from a solution of telluric acid.
Tellurium is a semiconductor. It is also used to improve the properties of copper and stainless steel. When tellurium is added to lead, it improves the strength and hardness of the metal. It also decreases the corrosion in lead.
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