A silvery-white metallic transition element; a.n. 23; r.a.m. 50.94; r.d. 5.96; m.p. 1890°C; b.p. 3380°C. It occurs in a number of complex ores, including vanadinite (Pb5Cl(VO4)3) and carnotite (K2(UO2)2(VO4)23H2O). The pure metal can be obtained by reducing the oxide with calcium. The element is used in a large number of alloy steels. Chemically, it reacts with nonmetals at high temperatures but is not affected by hydrochloric acid or alkalis. It forms a range of complexes with oxidation states from +2 to +5. Vanadium was discovered in 1801 by Andrés del Rio (1764–1849), who allowed himself to be persuaded that what he had discovered was an impure form of chromium. The element was rediscovered and named by Nils Sefström (1787–1854) in 1830.
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