Kroll process, like titanium: ZrCl4 is reduced with molten Mg at ~800 °C. Nuclear-grade Zr needs Hf stripped out first by solvent extraction of the thiocyanate complexes.
Research Elements Zr · atomic number 40 Transition metal · period 5, group 4 [Kr] 4d2 5s2 Shells: 2, 8, 18, 10, 2 Valence electrons: 2 in the outer shell (5s2), and 2 in 4d2 Green dots are the outer shell's s and p electrons. Softer green dots are the d electrons of transition metals, and the d and f electrons of lanthanides and actinides: they often take part in bonding, but not always. Grey dots are the core. Ground-state configuration from the NIST Atomic Spectra Database (A. Kramida, Yu. Ralchenko, J. Reader and the NIST ASD Team). Abundance is the mole fraction of the element found as that isotope on Earth; digits in parentheses are the uncertainty in the last digits. Masses and abundances from NIST, Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions (J. S. Coursey, D. J. Schwab, J. J. Tsai and R. A. Dragoset, National Institute of Standards and Technology).Zirconium
Electrons
How it's obtained
Natural isotopes
Isotope Relative atomic mass Abundance 90Zr 89.9046977(20) 0.5145(40) 91Zr 90.9056396(20) 0.1122(5) 92Zr 91.9050347(20) 0.1715(8) 94Zr 93.9063108(20) 0.1738(28) 96Zr 95.9082714(21) 0.0280(9)