Named after the Scandinavian goddess, Vanadis, Vanadium was known for the beauty of its multicolored compounds.  First discovered in 1801 by del Rio, Vanadium was initially incorrectly characterized as impure chromium; it was later rediscovered by Sefstrom in 1830. 

Vanadium is found in a variety of sources, including about 65 minerals, phosphate rock and certain ores, as well as in the form of organic complexes in crude oil. In the domestic United States, the only source of Vanadium is through recycling of spent catalysts from the oil refining process. 

Vanadium itself is involved in several applications, including flat rolled products, tools and die steels, engineering alloy steels, stainless steels, rail steels, and titanium alloys.  As a constituent of a number of constructional and engineering alloy steels, Vanadium helps form high strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steels which are known for their increased strength and durability.