# Thulium, Tm

Thulium (Tm) is a rare-earth metal, belonging to the lanthanide series of the periodic table. It is silvery-white and soft, displaying properties common to most of the rare-earth elements. Thulium can be isolated from other rare earths through ion-exchange reactions. While thulium is not as abundant or widely used as other rare earths, it has several niche applications. One of its artificially-produced isotopes, Tm-170, is employed as a radiation source in portable X-ray devices. Additionally, thulium lasers, specifically Tm:YAG lasers, have applications in medical procedures, industrial drilling, and research.

## External links

- Thulium - Wikipedia
- Thulium - WebElements
- Thulium - Periodic table of elements: Los Alamos National Laboratory