Lanthanum is relatively easy to extract as it has only one neighbouring lanthanide, cerium, which can be removed by making use of its ability to be oxidised to the +4 state; thereafter, lanthanum may be separated out by the historical method of fractional crystallization of La(NO3)3·2NH4NO3·4H2O, or by ion-exchange techniques when higher purity is desired.Lanthanum metal is obtained from its oxide by heating it with ammonium chloride or fluoride and hydrofluoric acid at 300-400 °C to produce the chloride or fluoride:
La2O3 + 6 NH4Cl → 2 LaCl3 + 6 NH3 + 3 H2OThis is followed by reduction with alkali or alkaline earth metals in vacuum or argon atmosphere:
LaCl3 + 3 Li → La + 3 LiClAlso, pure lanthanum can be produced by electrolysis of molten mixture of anhydrous LaCl3 and NaCl or KCl at elevated temperatures. Applications
The first historical application of lanthanum was in gas lantern mantles. Carl Auer von Welsbach used a mixture of lanthanum oxide and zirconium oxide, which he called Actinophor and patented in 1886. The original mantles gave a green-tinted light and were not very successful, and his first company, which established a factory in Atzgersdorf in 1887, failed in 1889.Modern uses of lanthanum include:

One material used for anodic material of nickel-metal hydride batteries is La(Ni3.6Mn0.4Al0.3Co0.7). Due to high cost to extract the other lanthanides, a mischmetal with more than 50% of lanthanum is used instead of pure lanthanum. The compound is an intermetallic component of the AB5 type.
Since the latter salt is unusual in the pharmacopeia, the manufacturer increased the amount of oxycodone hydrochloride to 4.8355 mg and discontinued the oxycodone terephthalate. Miscellaneous
The combination oxycodone/aspirin is also sold under the brand name Endodan. All products containing oxycodone (including Percodan, Percocet, OxyContin) have the potential to be habit-forming. Oxycodone can produce drug dependence of the morphine type and, therefore, has the potential for being addictive. See also
Embeda
Hypnorm
Percocet
Targin
Vicodin
Vicoprofen

References
External links
Percodan Prescribing Information from Endo Pharmaceuticals. Search "Percodan" in FDA Archives; shows approval in 1950.