Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 11
Mendeleev and the Rare-Earth Crisis
Pieter Thyssen and Koen Binnemans
A few years ago, C. H. Evans noticed that historically “the rare-earth elements [had]
created theoretical, as well as practical, headaches for chemists”, but he admitted
that “none [had been] greater than their proper position in the periodic table”.
1
According to Evans
s periodic system
and the rare-earth elements is an interesting one, worthy of deeper analysis by
future scholars.”
2
Following this suggestion, the substance of this paper will focus
on Mendeleev
opinion, “the interplay between Mendeleev
'
'
s attitude towards the problematic accommodation of the rare-earth
elements in the periodic system during the period 1869-1871. Henceforth, the term
rare
-
earth crisis
will be used to denote this accommodation issue.
There has been relatively little mention of the rare-earth crisis in the scholarly
literature on Mendeleev and his periodic system. One notable exception is provided
by the work of the Russian historian, D. N. Trifonov, who wrote two topics on this
subject-matter in Russian. Within the English scholarly literature, however, not
much material is to be found. And yet, as will be argued in this paper, the rare-earth
crisis embodied one of the greatest threats to the periodic system—endangering
some of the most cherished beliefs of Mendeleev.
Mendeleev himself referred to the rare earths as
podvodnyi kamen
(or
underwater stone
), also translated as
'
stumbling block
'
.
3
This evocative term
already hints to what extent the placement of the rare-earth elements had troubled
'
1
Evans, C. H. “The Discovery of the Rare Earth Elements.”
Chemistry in Britain
(1989): 880-882.
(page 881)
2
“Introduction.” In
Episodes from the History of the Rare Earth Elements
, ed. C. H. Evans, xviii.
Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1996.
3
The authors thank M. Gordin for bringing this to our attention.
