Terra Rara - The Strange Story of Some Political Elements

Explore the fascinating world of rare earth elements in this comprehensive lecture by Andrea Sella. Delve into the strange story of these political elements, from their romantic names like neodymium and dysprosium to their crucial roles in modern electronics and renewable energy. Discover the historical puzzle these elements posed for 19th-century chemists and their transformation from wartime materials to essential components in today's technology. Learn about the complex process of separating rare earth elements, their unique properties, and the political and economic implications of their global distribution. Gain insights into the lanthanides' electronic structure, their applications in fiber optics and magnets, and the potential global shortage that has brought them into the spotlight. Through demonstrations and in-depth explanations, unravel the mysteries surrounding these indispensable yet little-known elements that shape our modern world.

Intro
Prospecting
The Periodic Table of the Rare Earths
Earths ? Rare?
Analysis by Johannes Gadolin
Separation - The Hard Way
Discovery Timeline
Auer von Welsbach's Metal
Monazite and Bastnaesite
Mining - Mountain Pass
The Sizes of the 3+ lons
The Manhattan Project
Better separations 2
The First Kilo of Gadolinium oxide
Spectra of the lanthanides
William Crookes
Glassblowing
Cutting out the glare
The crucial orbitals
Electronic States of the Lanthanides
Fibre optics
Rare Earth magnets
The tetravalence of cerium
Why are the lanthanides trivalent?
Uses of Trivalent Complexes
Organometallic Ce(IV) species
Synchrotrons (what else?)
Rare Earth Price