Magnesium is the lightest of the metals that can be safely handled, being less than two thirds as dense as aluminium. Like the other alkaline earth metals, it is a reactive metal that slowly tarnishes in air. These cylinders have been lacquered to protect their finish and make an ideal companion piece to our incredibly heavy tungsten cylinders.

Magnesium is one of the lightest metals with a density 4.5 times less than iron or steel. It gradually tarnishes in air. This sparkling fresh sample of distilled magnesium, showing the element’s beautiful crystal structure, is protected under an atmosphere of inert argon inside a sealed quartz dome.

First recognised as a new element in the late 18th Century, titanium was not isolated in pure form until 1910 and has since become an increasingly important industrial metal. These commercially pure titanium cylinders demonstrate the metal's low density and resistance to tarnishing.

Copper is positioned above silver and gold in the periodic table. It certainly shares those elements’ beautiful appearance, as this sample demonstrates. All three elements are excellent electrical conductors, which makes them valuable industrial raw materials. 

Copper is positioned above silver and gold in the periodic table. It certainly shares those elements’ beautiful appearance, as this sample demonstrates. All three elements are excellent electrical conductors, which makes them valuable industrial raw materials. 

Bromine is one of only three elements that are liquid at room temperature (or at least body temperature in the case
of caesium). Bromine is also unpleasantly corrosive and remarkably difficult to contain. This sample is safely imprisoned in an acrylic block.

Shiny distilled strontium metal like this will turn into a white powder within a few minutes of being exposed to oxygen in the air. This sample is protected under an inert argon atmosphere in a sealed inner ampoule. The crystal structure of the metal is attractively revealed. 

Zirconium is a strong, malleable, ductile, lustrous metal that is extremely resistant to heat and corrosion. It is the 18th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and is closely associated with hafnium in nature due to their chemical similarity.

Pure molybdenum is a heavy, lustrous, silver-grey metal with the fifth highest melting point of all the metals. For this reason molybdenum is traded commercially as a powder and, like many of the transition metals, most is used in alloys and only a small percentage as the pure metal. These pure molybdenum cylinders weigh just over half as much as our matching tungsten cylinders.

Tungsten is amongst the densest of all the elements, exceeded only by rhenium, platinum, iridium, osmium and some of the transuranic elements. This cylinder exceeds an astonishing one kilogram in weight, close to theoretical density. It always surprises those picking one up for the first time and makes an ideal companion piece to our matching magnesium cylinders which, although the same size, weigh only 92 grams.

A single one gram arc-melted pearl of pure rhenium together with a display vial with Re engraved on the lid. 

A single two gram arc-melted pearl of pure rhenium together with a display vial with Re engraved on the lid. 

A single five gram arc-melted pearl of pure rhenium together with a display vial with Re engraved on the lid. 

Iridium and osmium vie with one another for the distinction of being the most dense element. Both have a density close to 22.5 grams per cubic centimetre. Compared to the osmium sample, you can see that iridium has a slightly warm yellow hue. 

A single two gram arc-melted pearl of pure iridium together with a display vial with Ir engraved on the lid.