This unfortunate metal is evidently doomed to perennial obscurity. Extremely dense, costly, rare and supremely difficult to purify are all nails in this coffin. Hafnium is used, in small amounts, to make specialty alloys as well as in the nuclear industry but demand is relatively low as managers in these projects will always try to find alternatives to keep costs down.

Now, turning to fans of the periodic table, hafnium’s obscurity is precisely what makes it attractive to collectors. Our normally polished hafnium cubes are (not surprisingly) fairly pricey items in their own right. Adding mirror polishing boosts the price up even farther as it takes several days (yes, days) of continuous polishing to achieve a reflective surface. The result though is a perfectly made little jewel that brings immediate tactile and visual satisfaction to its owner!