Element · Layer 0, Atomic number 40

Zirconium

A strong, corrosion-resistant metal used to clad nuclear fuel, and as zirconia in ceramics and imitation diamonds.

Built from

Atoms are the foundation. Every other block in the Archive is built from them.

About

Zirconium is a strong, silvery metal that resists corrosion extremely well. It comes mostly from the mineral zircon, found in beach sands in Australia and South Africa. Zircon crystals are among the oldest things on Earth; some formed more than 4 billion years ago.

Because zirconium barely absorbs neutrons, it is used to make the tubes that hold uranium fuel in nuclear reactors. Its oxide, zirconia, is a tough ceramic used in dental crowns, ceramic knives and cubic zirconia, a popular imitation diamond. Most zircon itself is used to make ceramic tiles white and opaque, and in molds for casting metal.

Builds

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