What is "mischmetal"

alt. An alloy or rare earth elements containing about 50% cerium and 50% lanthanum, neodymium, and similar elements used especially as a flint in cigarette lighters n. An alloy or rare earth elements containing about 50% cerium and 50% lanthanum, neodymium, and similar elements used especially as a flint in cigarette lighters

Mischmetal (from – "mixed metal") is an alloy of rare earth elements. It is also called cerium mischmetal, rare earth mischmetal or misch metal. A typical composition includes approximately 50% cerium and 25% lanthanum, with small amounts of neodymium and praseodymium. Its most common use is in the ferrocerium "flint" ignition device of many lighters and torches, although an alloy of only rare-earth elements would be too soft to give good sparks. For this purpose, it is blended with iron oxide and magnesium oxide to form a harder material known as ferrocerium.