I collect chemical elements.

And recently received my sample of Cerium.

 

It is still sealed in its vacuum plastic bag.

 

This is my first lanthanide sample and I chose Ce because it was the cheapest I could find. Bought a 100g bar from eBay.

 

- Can I remove it from its packaging and handle it as any other metal?

- Can I keep it exposed in open air as all my other samples? (I don't care about tarnishing).

 

Unfortunately I don't have any airtight places or mineral oil to store it 😕

 

 

 

 

Hello GammaFlux

According to this paper https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010938X16301767, when cerium oxidate, its oxide layer cracks easily and don't protect the rest of the cerium to continue oxidating. So maybe you should find some mineral oil online or maybe try to store it in some raffined gasoline.