SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY

摘要

Two hundred years ago, in 1801, English chemist Charles Hatchett discovered a new element - niobium. The discovery was made during an examination of specimens of minerals from the New England region of the U.S. In honor of the place of its origin and in tribute to the New World, Hatchett called the element columbium. However, it can be argued that niobium was actually discovered only in 1844, when German chemist Heinrich Rose obtained niobium oxide (Nb_2O_5) from tantalite. Believing that he had discovered a new element, Rose named it "niobium" in honor of the Greek goddess of tears Niobia - daughter of the god Tantal. Rose's choice was related to the fact that, in nature, niobium is usually encountered in compounds with tantalum. It was not until 1948 that the International Union of Chemists ratified the name "niobium" for the element with the serial number 41 and atomic mass of 92.906. Nevertheless, the name "columbium" is still widely used by metallurgists in North America. World Market for Niobium. Niobium is not found in nature in pure form. It usually exists as an ore (pyrochlore). According to estimates, niobium is 33rd on the list of the most common elements in the Earth's crust. However, some experts believe that its abundance should be much greater and that the "missing" niobium may be located in the Earth's core.