Zirconium hydride an ore, usually a zirconium silicate, such as zircon. Zirconium is extracted from zirconium ore by removing the oxygen and silica. This process, known as the Kroll process, was first applied to titanium. The Kroll process results in an alloy containing hafnium. The hafnium and other impurities are removed in a subsequent step. Zirconium hydride is created by combining refined zirconium with hydrogen. Like titanium, solid zirconium dissolves hydrogen quite readily. The density of zirconium hydride varies based the hydrogen and ranges between 5.56 and 6.52 g cm. Even in the narrow range of concentrations which make up zirconium hydride,
Zirconium dioxide coatings; it is a high-index material usable from the near-UV to the mid-IR, due to its low absorption in this spectral region. In such applications, it is typically deposited by PVD. In jewelry making, some watch cases are advertised as being "black zirconium oxide". In 2015 Omega released a fully ZrO watch named "The Dark Side of The Moon" with ceramic case, bezel, pushers and clasp, advertising it as four times harder than stainless steel and therefore much more resistant to scratches during everyday use. Single crystals of the cubic phase of zirconia are commonly used as diamond simulant in