Tag: Metalloid

Comprising nearly 28% of Earth's crust, silicon is the second most abundant element after oxygen. This ubiquity often leads to confusion between the related terms, particularly when differentiating **silica and silicium** and their chemical identities.

First discovered in 1817, selenium is an essential trace element that plays a major role in important processes within the human body, despite being required only in small amounts. This article explains what type of mineral selenium is, its unique properties, and its vital functions.

With an average concentration of only about 90 parts per billion in the Earth's crust, selenium is indeed one of the rarer elements, found in three to seven orders of magnitude less abundance than major rock-forming elements. While it is a naturally occurring element, its rarity in significant concentrations means it is almost never mined directly.

In 1817, Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius discovered selenium, a rare element initially mistaken for tellurium and named after the Greek goddess of the moon, 'Selene'. What is unique about selenium is its fascinating dual nature, exhibiting properties that place it between metals and nonmetals while playing a critical role in both technology and biological systems.