If you have been following this blog you will have noticed that over the last month or so I have concentrated on the rare earth elements. But why?
Well, the idea beind this was inspired by an article I read in the Sunday Times on the 31st October 2010, titled, ‘China’s new tradewall’. This has also been covered on the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11581288)
Lutetium, Lu, atomic number 71.
Lutetium was named after Lutetia, the city that we call Paris. It was the Romans who named it Lutetia.
Ytterbium, Yb, atomic number 70 and is the least abundant of the rare earth elements, although, it is twice as abundant as tin!
Discovered by the Swiss chemist Marignac in 1878 who discovered a new substance erbia and named it ytterbia after after Ytterby, the Swedish village close to where Marignac discovered the element.
Thulium, Tm, atomic number 69.
Thulium is the least abundant of the rare earth elements. It is named after the mythical land of Thule. Thule also manufacture roof boxes but I am assured that they are not made out of the element! 
Erbium, Er, atomic number 68.
Erbium’s name came from its discovery along with Yttrium by Mosander in 1843.
Holmium, Ho, atomic number 67.
Discovered in 1878 by Delafontaine and Soret. Holmium is the Latin name for Stockholm. As you are probably realising, much work on the rare earth’s was carried out in Scandinavia.
Dysprosium, Dy, atomic number 66
Dysprosium was first identified in 1886 by Boisboudran but it too another 65 years to obtain it in its pure form.
Terbium, Tb, atomic number 65.
This rare earh has applications in fuel cells, alloys and sonar systems.
Europium, symbol Eu, atomic mass 63.
Europium is a super conductor at around 2K. It is used interestingly to screen for genetic disorders such as Down’s syndrome. It is also being considered to be used in nuclear reactors as it is a very good neutron absorber (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europium – accessed on 3rd Dec 2010).
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