 Cadmium occurs as a minor component in most zinc ores and is a byproduct of zinc production . Cadmium was used for a long time as a corrosion @-@ resistant plating on steel , and cadmium compounds are used as red , orange and yellow pigments , to colour glass , and to stabilize plastic . Cadmium use is generally decreasing because it is toxic ( it is specifically listed in the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances ) and nickel @-@ cadmium batteries have been replaced with nickel @-@ metal hydride and lithium @-@ ion batteries . One of its few new uses is cadmium telluride solar panels . 
 Cadmium <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>occurs</mark></a> as a minor component in most zinc ores and <a href='drop_aux' title='2'><mark>is</mark></a>a byproduct of zinc production . Cadmium was used for a long time as a corrosion @-@ resistant plating on steel , and cadmium compounds are used as red , orange and yellow pigments , to colour glass , and to stabilize plastic . Cadmium use is generally decreasing because it <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>is</mark></a>toxic ( it is specifically listed in the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances ) and nickel @-@ cadmium batteries <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>have</mark></a> been replaced with nickel @-@ metal hydride and lithium @-@ ion batteries . One of its few new uses <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>cadmium telluride solar panels . 
Cadmium occur as a minor component in most zinc ores and a byproduct of zinc production . Cadmium was used for a long time as a corrosion @-@ resistant plating on steel , and cadmium compounds r used as red , orange and yellow pigments , to colour glass , and to stabilize plastic . Cadmium use is generally decreasing because it toxic ( it is specifically listed in the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances ) and nickel @-@ cadmium batteries done been replaced with nickel @-@ metal hydride and lithium @-@ ion batteries . One of its few new uses cadmium telluride solar panels .