Element 62 · Lanthanide (Rare Earth)
Samarium
Samarium-cobalt magnets remain the choice for high-temperature applications where neodymium magnets fail.
Element Facts
SYMBOL
Sm
ATOMIC NO.
62
ATOMIC WEIGHT
150.36
CATEGORY
Lanthanide (Rare Earth)
PERIOD
Period 6
GROUP
Group 3
Origins
Samarium was discovered in 1879 by Paul Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, isolated from the mineral samarskite (itself named after Colonel Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets, a Russian mining engineer — making samarium the first element named, albeit indirectly, after a real person). Samarium-cobalt permanent magnets, developed in the 1960s–70s, were the first generation of modern rare earth magnets and are still preferred where high-temperature performance is needed over NdFeB magnets.
Key Properties
Samarium is element 62, named after the mineral samarskite. Samarium-cobalt magnets (SmCo5 and Sm2Co17) preceded neodymium magnets and retain importance in applications above 200°C where NdFeB demagnetises.
Modern Applications
Samarium-cobalt magnets in aerospace systems, military hardware, high-temperature motors, and travelling wave tubes (used in satellites and radar). Samarium oxide as nuclear reactor neutron absorber.
At the Yard
Why QuickStop Metals doesn’t buy Samarium:
Samarium-cobalt magnet recycling occurs at specialist rare earth and cobalt recovery facilities. General scrap yards do not handle these magnets separately — they go to dedicated processors.
Market Value
Samarium oxide trades at approximately £4–12/kg. Not a standard scrap material. Sourced mainly from Chinese rare earth production.