For Your Chemists: Endangered Elements

[6Foot2]

Link: Endangered Elements

 

Of the 118 elements that make up everything—from the compounds in a chemists arsenal to consumer products on the shelf—44 will face supply limitations in the coming years. These critical elements include rare earth elements, precious metals, and even life essentials like Phosphorus. Research into more abundant alternatives, more efficient uses, recycling and recovery will help mitigate risks and move industry towards sustainable supply chains...

 

[DJ-1701]

Helium is always one that seems to stump people as it's used a lot in balloons... surely that's not all they could use it for...

[6Foot2]

Helium is always one that seems to stump people as it's used a lot in balloons... surely that's not all they could use it for...

 

1. As a coolant (LHC and MRIs)
   
2. As a companion gas to oxygen for deep sea divers and other workers in pressurised atmospheres (avoids risk of the bends)
   
3. As a replacement for air in HDDs allowing disks to spin with more efficiency and with less turbulence.