Mining | The Episodic Table of Elements

62. Samarium: Eponymous Honorarium

June 1, 2020

6:00 am

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Etymology, Gustav and Heinrich Rose, Magnetism, Mineralogy, Mining, Paul-Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, Prussia, Russia, Vassili Samarsky

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We hear all sorts of incredible stories on this podcast, but today we’ll meet the most unbelievable character of all: A friendly bureaucrat.

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60. Neodymium: Anarchy And Order

May 4, 2020

6:00 am

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Atomic Structure, Belgium, Congo, Electronics, Imperialism, Magnetism, Mining, United States

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Decades of complex geopolitical chaos ultimately result in one afternoon’s rather embarrassing hospital visit.

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52. Tellurium: To Hell You Ride

December 30, 2019

6:00 am

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Astronomy, Atomic Structure, Australia, Dmitri Mendeleev, Etymology, Linus Pauling, Martin Heinrich Klaproth, Mehmed II, Mineralogy, Mining, Odor, Romania, Science Fiction, United States, Vlad the Impaler

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Collecting elements can be risky business. Tellurium is one of those elements that poses a dire threat — not to one’s health, but to the element collector’s reputation in polite society.

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42. Molybdenum: Conventional Weapons

July 29, 2019

6:00 am

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Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Constantinople, Fortifications, France, Germany, Gunpowder, Japan, Mehmed II, Middle Ages, Mining, Turkey, Weaponry, World War I

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Before we talk about one big gun, let’s discuss 1,500 years of military technology.

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