Properties of metals, metalloids and nonmetals one or two properties very different from the expected norm, or that are otherwise notable. Sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, barium, platinum, gold Manganese Iron, cobalt, nickel, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium Iridium Gold Mercury Lead Bismuth Uranium Plutonium Boron Boron, antimony Silicon Arsenic Antimony Hydrogen Helium Carbon Phosphorus Iodine Properties of metals, metalloids and nonmetals Metals appear lustrous (beneath any patina); form mixtures (alloys) when combined with other metals; tend to lose or share electrons when they react with other substances; and each forms at least one predominantly basic oxide. Most metals are silvery looking, high density, relatively soft
Antimony gangue minerals. Antimony can be isolated from the crude antimony sulfide by reduction with scrap iron: The sulfide is converted to an oxide; the product is then roasted, sometimes for the purpose of vaporizing the volatile antimony(III) oxide, which is recovered. This material is often used directly for the main applications, impurities being arsenic and sulfide. Antimony is isolated from the oxide by a carbothermal reduction: The lower-grade ores are reduced in blast furnaces while the higher-grade ores are reduced in reverberatory furnaces. Antimony has consistently been ranked high in European and US risk lists concerning criticality of the element