Show selenium on job the element selenium one of the products byproducts by obtained during the smelting smelling sm elting and refining of nickle cop copper r ores ore of the sudbury district tape t of ontario has unusual properties per pert ties les they are neither those 0 of f a true metal like nickle or copper nor those of nonmetallic non metallic materials such as sulphur selenium is a semimetal semi metal and this makes possible many of its unique applications cat ions one of these is in photoelectric cells the operation of these cells depends upon the fact that selenium when in contact with a noble metal usually gold develops a slight electric current when exposed to light selenium photoelectric cells are employed in burglar alarms industrial du safety devices automatic door opening mechanisms and more recently to control the ventilating ti systems of mines and tunnels were dust or fumes are liable e to be present |