Name: tellurium
Symbol: Te
Atomic number: 52
Atomic weight: 127.60 (3) g
Group in periodic table: 16
Group name: Chalcogen
Period in periodic table: 5
Block in periodic table: p-block
CAS registry ID: 13494-80-9
Crystalline tellurium has a silvery-white appearance, and exhibits a metallic lustre when pure. It is brittle and easily pulverised. Tellurium is a p-type semiconductor, and shows varying conductivity with crystal alignment. Its conductivity increases slightly with exposure to light. It can be doped with silver, copper, gold, tin, or other elements.
Humans exposed to as little as 0.01 mg m-3 in air, or less, develop "tellurium breath", which has a garlic-like odour.