Mendelevium

Mendelevium was first identified by Albert Ghiorso, Bernard Harvey, Gregory Choppin, Stanley Thompson, and Glenn Seaborg in 1955 at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California. Only 17 atoms were produced in an all night experiment- it was highly dissapointing, as it was supposed to produce 3-4 atoms per hour. It was named after the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev- the guy who devised the first periodic table.

Like many elements in the actinide series, mendelevium is highly radioactive and must be stored carefully. It is not found free in nature, and it has not been produced as metal yet. It is currently only of scientific use. It is produced through charged articles of lighter elements.

Einsteinium

Einsteinium was first discovered in 1952 by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The project was led by Albert Ghiorso. It was found with fermium in debris from a hydrogen bomb test, on filter papers from a plane that had flown over the explosion area. After finding the small amount, all the coral in the surrounding area (hundreds of pounds of it) was examined to see if there was more. As of today, it can only be produced in very tiny amounts- 2 grams being the highest amount.

It was named after- you guessed it, Albert Einstein! It is very harmful due to it's high radioactivity. It is never found naturally, as it is a synthetic metal. The first time it was actually brought down to it's natural form was more than a decade after it's initial discovery. It currently has no other use to it than research purposes.

Sugilite

What is sugilite?
Sugilite was found in 1944. However, the largest amount was found in 1975 in the Kalahari Desert in Northern South Africa. Also, in 1979 a large deposit of the gem was found only 3200 feet below the first discovery. If only they had kept digging a little more....'

Sugilite is a very beautiful purple gem that can range from a pale lavender/grey to a deep, rich purple. It is also a very waxy gem- which is surprising as it is relatively hard, and 6.5/7 on the Mohs scale.


Where is it found?
Sugilite was actually discovered first in Japan. It is named after the Japanese geologist who first discovered the specimen, Ken-ichi Sugi. Other than Japan, it can be found in:

• South Africa
• Canada
• India

The mystic sugilite
Sugilite is said to strengthen the heart, aid in physical healing, and reduce stress. It is also said to be a balancer of the mind, body and spirit and encourages peace of mind. Legend also says it is used to protect against anger and other negative energies....