Harry Cant, age 14, of Indianapolis, Indiana for his question:

What exactly is ruthenium?

This rare metal appears on the Periodic Table of Elements under its chemical symbol "Ru." But we are not likely to come across much ruthenium in our daily lives. A small amount of it may be present in the alloy used to tip a ball point pen. Alloys with traces of ruthenium are used to make electrical contacts in aircraft magnetos. Similar alloys are used for expensive jewelry settings. However, pure ruthenium is too hard to be shaped into metal parts.

     The Periodic Table of Elements waited a long time for the discovery of ruthenium. Eight squares in the iron period of related elements were filled and a vacant space was left for the ninth, to be occupied by element number 44. It was discovered in 1844 by Carl Claus, who named it ruthenium from the Latin name for his native Russia. Apart from being one of the rarest elements, ruthenium also turned out to have certain chemical properties that made it almost impossible to isolate in measureable quantities.

     These problems were not solved very satisfactorily until the late 1920s, when chemists devised a series of chemical processes to separate it from its common ores. Most ruthenium occurs in igneous platinum ores, often with osmium    the densest known metal. Ruthenium refuses to dissolve in water, and dilute acid solutions do not corrode it. It can be isolated in complex stages, using acids and other chemicals, reduced oxygen and a final steam bath.     

     The result of these elaborate procedures is silvery white ruthenium metal. It is so hard that machine tools cannot shape it into anything useful. However, when alloyed, its super hardness can be transmitted to other metals. Platinum alloyed with 10 per cent ruthenium makes highly dependable electrical contacts, Manufacturers claim that their osmium ruthenium pen points will last a lifetime. Alnico, a famous alloy containing aluminum, copper and ruthenium is 12 times more magnetic than ordinary iron or steel magnets.   

      Ruthenium's position on the Periodic Table tells us something about its remarkable properties. Its period is arranged in three triads, the first being iron, cobalt and nickel. The second is ruthenium, rhodium and palladium. These are heavier metals, though their properties are similar to the first three. The third triad of still heavier metals includes osmium, iridium and platinum. Ruthenium has an atomic weight of about 101.7, a high melting point of 2,250 degrees centigrade and a higher boiling point of 3,900 degrees centigrade.     It plays a small though important role in metallurgy, though its scarcity and its stubborn behavior limit its uses. Scientists estimate that the rare element kryptom accounts for merely one in 100 million parts of the earth's materials. But the much rarer ruthenium quota is too small to be estimated. Traces are present in ores of mixed heavy metals, mined in California.