Period 6 element the last stable element; all subsequent elements are radioactive. For bismuth, however, its only primordial isotope, Bi, has a half-life of more than 10 years, over a billion times longer than the current age of the universe. As a rule, period 6 elements fill their 6s shells first, then their 4f, 5d, and 6p shells, in that order; however, there are exceptions, such as gold. This period contains the lanthanides, also known as the "rare earths". Many lanthanides are known for their magnetic properties, such as neodymium. Many period 6 transition metals are very valuable, such as gold, however many
Refractory metals cubic except rhenium which is hexagonal close-packed. Most physical properties of the elements in this group vary significantly because they are members of different groups. Creep resistance is a key property of the refractory metals. In metals, the starting of creep correlates with the melting point of the material; the creep in aluminium alloys starts at 200 °C, while for refractory metals temperatures above 1500 °C are necessary. This resistance against deformation at high temperatures makes the refractory metals suitable against strong forces at high temperature, for example in jet engines, or tools used during forging. The refractory metals show