Cadmium

Cadmium, a by-product of zinc fusion, is a brilliant, bluish-white, ductile and very malleable metal similar to zinc and mercury. Cadmium is soluble in acids but not in alkalis. The greater part of cadmium is used in nickel/cadmium batteries. The remaining part is used for coatings (corrosion resistance), the cadmium compounds are used as red, orange and yellow pigments to color glass. Cadmium has the ability to absorb neutrons, so it is used as a barrier to control nuclear fission.