Technetium APEX Mineral

Technetium (Tc #43) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Technetium

Technetium Minerals - There are zero Technetium  minerals.

All Technetium is radioactive.  It is the lowest atomic number element without any stable isotopes  All Technetium is produced synthetically, and only minute amounts are found in nature

Technetium was first produced in a nuclear reactor in 1937.

Technetium is found in more than 50 pharmaceuticals used for imaging.

Technetium plays no natural biological role.

Ruthenium APEX Mineral

Ruthenium (Ru #44) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Ruthenium

Ruthenium Minerals - There are extremely few Ruthenium minerals.  It only exists in microscopic quantities combined with other platinoid metals (Iridium, Osmium, Platinum).  I gave up trying to get my APEX mineral for Ruthenium.

Ruthenium is exceedingly rare and its annual production is only about 20 tons.

Ruthenium  is one of the six Platinum Group Metals.  These are precious metals which have similar physical and chemical properties, and tend to occur together in the same mineral deposits.

Ruthenium and its minerals were unknown until modern times.

Ruthenium is primarily used to harden platinum and palladium for wear-resistant electrical contacts. 

Ruthenium plays no natural biological role.

Rhodium APEX Mineral

Rhodium (Rh #45) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Rhodium

Rhodium Minerals - There are extremely few Rhodium minerals.  I gave up trying to get my APEX mineral for Rhodium.

Rhodium is one of the rarest and most valuable precious metals (2 to 6 times the price of gold).  Most Rhodium exists as free metal (it is nearly inert with other elements)  alloyed with other platinoid metals (Iridium, Osmium, Platinum).  World production is only 30 tons per year.

Rhodium is one of the six Platinum Group Metals.  These are precious metals which have similar physical and chemical properties, and tend to occur together in the same mineral deposits.

Rhodium was unknown until modern times.

Rhodium is primarily used in automobile catalytic converters.

Rhodium plays no natural biological role.

Palladium APEX Mineral

Palladium (Pd #46) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Palladium

Palladium Minerals - There are very few APEX eligible Palladium minerals.  

Cabriite (Pd2SnCu) with 54% Palladium is the best choice for APEX Mineral.   It is only found as small inclusions on other minerals and is extremely rare. The Cabriite inclusion above is the dull gray little ball.

Palladium ore deposits are rare.

Palladium is one of the six Platinum Group Metals.  These are precious metals which have similar physical and chemical properties, and tend to occur together in the same mineral deposits.

Palladium was unknown until modern times.

Palladium is primarily used in catalytic converters.

Palladium plays no natural biological role.

Silver APEX Mineral

Silver (Ag #47) (Latin: Argentum) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Silver

Silver Minerals - There are many Silver minerals.  

Pure Silver is our APEX Mineral. There are many beautiful examples like above.   Soon after exposure to air they will become heavily oxidized.

Silver has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal. 

Silver, in the form of electrum (a gold–silver alloy), was coined to produce money around 700 BC by the Lydians.

Silver is a precious metal used for valuable objects.  Silver also has a large variety of industrial uses.  

Silver plays no natural biological role.

Cadmium APEX Mineral

Cadmium (Cd #48) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Cadmium

Cadmium Minerals - There are very few Cadmium minerals.  

Greenockite (CdS) with 78% Cadmium is our APEX Mineral since it is really the only practical choice.  Greenockite is  always associated with Sphalerite (ZnS) since there is no geologic process that can separate Zinc and Cadmium. 

Cadmium is a common impurity in Zinc ores, and it is most often isolated during the production of Zinc.

Cadmium and its compounds had no useful role historically.

Cadmium use is declining due to toxicity.  It is mostly used in nickel–cadmium batteries and cadmium telluride solar panels.

Cadmium has no known useful role in higher organisms.  Marine diatoms use Cadmium in place of Zinc since they live in very low zinc environments.

Indium APEX Mineral

Indium (In #49) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Indium

Indium Minerals - There are no practical Indium minerals.  Indium only exists as a minor contaminant in other minerals.

Indium is a common impurity in Zinc ores, and it is most often isolated during the production of Zinc.   Indium emits a high-pitched "cry" when bent and is able to "wet" glass.  

Indium and its compounds had no useful role historically.

Indium is primarily used for electrical connections in LCD displays.  

Indium has no known biological role.

Tin APEX Mineral

Tin (Sn #50) (Latin: Stannum) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Tin

Tin Minerals - There are many Tin minerals.  

Cassiterite (SnO2)[Tin Oxide] with 79% Tin is the obvious APEX Mineral.

Tin has a very low melting point and resists oxidation.  Tin supplies are limited.  It has had some unique global trade regulations leading to price fixing.

Tin was first used in the Bronze Age to produce bronze (copper and tin alloy).

Tin is primarily used in solder and tin-plating where low toxicity is required.

Tin plays no natural biological role.

Antimony APEX Mineral

Antimony (Sb #51) (Latin: Stibium) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection.   

Wikipedia Antimony

Antimony Minerals - There are many Antimony minerals.  

Stibnite (Sb2S3)[Antimony Sulfide] with 72% Antimony is the obvious APEX Mineral.

Antimony was identified as one of 12 critical raw materials for the EU in a report published in 2011, primarily due to the lack of supply outside China.

Antimony compounds were used in Egypt as an eye cosmetic as early as about 3100 BC.

Antimony is primarily used in flame retardants and some batteries.

Antimony plays no natural biological role.  Antimony and many of its compounds are toxic.