What is tellurium made out of?

Tellurium minerals include calaverite, sylvanite and tellurite. It is also found uncombined in nature, but only very rarely. It is obtained commercially from the anode muds produced during the electrolytic refining of copper. These contain up to about 8% tellurium.

1. What type of metal is tellurium?
2. Does tellurium have metal?
3. How is tellurium processed?
4. How is tellurium toxic?

What type of metal is tellurium?

Tellurium is a semimetallic, lustrous, crystalline, brittle, silver-white element. It is usually available as a dark grey powder, it has the properties both of the metals and the non metals. Tellurium forms many compounds corresponding to those of sulfur and selenium.

Does tellurium have metal?

Tellurium is actually a metalloid. Metalloids, or semi-metals, are elements that possess both properties of metals and non-metals. Pure tellurium is silver in color and brittle.

How is tellurium processed?

Tellurium is typically extracted from copper refined by an electro- lytic process, which is a cost effective technique applied to high-grade copper ores. In this process, tellurium and other impurities, such as gold, silver, and platinum, are concentrated onto, and then removed from, crude copper anodes.

How is tellurium toxic?

► Exposure to Tellurium can cause headache, fatigue, dizziness, drowsiness and weakness. ► Repeated exposure can cause garlic odor to the breath, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and upset stomach, metallic taste and irritability.