About Vanadium:
- It is a chemical element with the symbol "V" and atomic number 23.
- It is a silver-gray, ductile, and malleable metallic element.
- It is harder than most metals and exhibits good corrosion resistance against alkalis and acids.
- History:
- It was discovered (1801) by the Spanish mineralogist Andrés Manuel del Río, who named it erythronium but eventually came to believe it was merely impure chromium.
- The element was rediscovered (1830) by the Swedish chemist Nils Gabriel Sefström, who named it after Vanadis, the Scandinavian goddess of beauty and youth.
- The English chemist Henry Enfield Roscoe first isolated the metal in 1867 by hydrogen reduction of vanadium dichloride.
- Occurrence:
- Found combined in various minerals, coal, and petroleum, vanadium is the 22nd most abundant element in Earth’s crust.
- It is found in over 60 different minerals, including vanadinite, carnotite, roscoelite, and patronite.
- The largest resources of vanadium minerals are found in South Africa and Russia.
- Leading Producers: China, South Africa, and Russia.
- Applications:
- Alloys:
- One of the primary uses of vanadium is as an alloying element in steel and other metals.
- Vanadium steel, for example, is known for its strength, toughness, and ability to maintain hardness at high temperatures. It is commonly used in tools, cutlery, and structural materials.
- In Vanadium Flow Batteries (VFBs), vanadium is used to create a reliable, safe and stable solution for the storage of renewable energy.
- Chemical Catalysts: Vanadium compounds are used as catalysts in various chemical reactions, such as the production of sulfuric acid.
- Nuclear Applications: Vanadium is used in some nuclear reactors as a structural material and neutron moderator.
- In the medical sphere, vanadium is used to treat a number of ailments, including diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol.
Key Facts about the Gulf of Khambhat:
- It is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat.
- Earlier, it was known as the Gulf of Cambay.
- Stretching for about 80 miles, it divides the Kathiawar Peninsula from the south-eastern part of Gujarat.
- Rivers: The Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and Sabarmati rivers drain into it.
- Geography:
- It is a relatively shallow and enclosed body of water, characterized by its tidal movements and extensive mudflats.
- It is known for having one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, with tides that can rise and fall dramatically.
- There are some coral reefs around small inlets in the western part of the Gulf.
