Appearance
Gallium is a silvery, glass-like, soft metal.

Source
Gallium is present in trace amounts in the minerals Diaspore, Sphalerite, Germanite, Bauxite and Coal. The free metal can be obtained by the electrolysis of Gallium (III) hydroxide in Potassium hydroxide.

Uses
Gallium readily alloys with most metals, and is used in low-melting alloys. It has a high boiling point which makes it ideal for recording temperatures that would vaporise a thermometer. It is used in doping semiconductors and producing solid-state devices such as transistors.

General Information
Gallium is soluble in acids and alkalis. It has the longest liquid range of all elements (a range of 2373.1K). It is almost liquid at room temperature, and melts in the hand. As it freezes, it expands by 3.1% which is unusual for a metal. Gallium wets glass and porcelain, and forms a brilliant mirror when painted on glass.