The name of the element indium comes from the bright indigo coloured line in its spectrum.
Have you heard of metals that let out loud cries? They certainly do not cry as humans or animals do. One of indium’s most unusual properties is that it has this ‘tin cry’ or a squeaking sound, that resembles a scream when it’s bent.
Indium was first isolated in 1863 by German chemists Ferdinand Reich and Hieronymous Theodor Richter. In the earth’s crust, it is the 68th most common element. Indium is relatively rare in the earth, and is typically found in zinc ores. It’s also found in some lead, copper and iron ores.
Indium is indispensable in the manufacture of LCD monitors, televisions and display screens; and therefore, its demand has increased greatly over the years. Due to this demand, the price of indium per kilogramme also has increased almost tenfold since 2002.
About 4 million troy ounces of indium is produced annually across the globe today. Canada, China and Russia are the major producers of the element. The atomic number of indium is 49, and the atomic symbol is In.
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