Vanadium is a silvery-gray transition metal with a melting point of 1,910 degrees Celsius and oxidation states of +2, +3, +4, and +5. It is a durable metal, resistant to shocks and vibrations. Vanadium was discovered in 1801 by Andres Manuel del Rio as a part of the ore vanadite. It was first isolated by Sir Henry Roscoe. 

Vanadium is used in alloys such as stainless steel. It is also used in the production of superconducting magnets. It has uses in the nuclear industry because it can absorb neutrons fairly well.