Ytterbium (Yb, atomic number 70) – Marignac discovered a new component in the earth then known as erbia in 1878 which he called ytterbia. In 1907, Urbain separated ytterbia into two components which he called neoytterbia and lutecia. The elements in these earths are now knows as ytterbium and lutetium, respectively. These elements are identical with aldebaranium and cassiopeium (discovered independently and at about the same time by von Welsbach). Ytterbium occurs along with other rare earths in a number of rare minerals. The element was first prepared by Klemm and Bonner in 1937 by reducing ytterbium tri-chloride with potassium. Their metal was mixed, however, with KCI. Daane, Dennison and Spedding prepared a much purer form in 1953 from which the chemical and physical properties of the element could be determined. It is commercially recovered principally from monazite sand which contains about 0.03%. Ion-exchange and solvent extraction techniques developed in recent years have greatly simplified the separation of the rare earths from one another. Ytterbium is a silvery and lustrous metal that is very soft and reacts very rapidly with oxygen. Even though the element is fairly stable, it should be kept in closed containers to protect it from air to moisture. Ytterbium is readily attacked and dissolved by dilute and concentrated mineral acids and reacts slowly with water. Ytterbium is the least abundant amongst the rare earths. Its chemistry is the least understood therefore it is not used often.

                  

Ytterbium has some possible uses, they are as follows:
Ytterbium metal may be used in improving the grain refinement, strength and other mechanical properties of stainless steel.
Electronic uses due to the properties of the metals change.
Measure of pressure within nuclear explosions.
Metallurgy


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Vegetables in the filed withered one after another, some turned yellow and some became spotted. Guangming Road, Shenzhen, within 1000 meters radium of the area, all vegetable fields are almost the same, Ms Huang complained, she doubted the soil or the water must has been contaminated. The water used for irrigation is from Jingkou reservoir, residents nearby allege that the chief culprit is the illegal rare earth extractors beside the reservoir.  

On March 4^th, beneath the mountain foot of Jingkou Reservoir, Ms. Huang and other residents found a temporary work shed, and a extracting poll covered with bamboo and thatch, a dozen of men run away as they saw them.  　　　　

Residents at once confirmed that they were extracting rare earth illegally, white precipitate is at the bottom of the pools, red fluid flew out from gutter, and down to the reservoir.

Reporter brought same soil and water sample to Shenzhen University, and evidence proved that it was rare earth abstraction that causes the withering of the vegetables.

Doctor Wen of Shenzhen University told reporter that illegal abstraction itself is non-toxic but mineral acid can be produced during the process, as the acid accumulate to certain amount in the water, vegetables if irrigated with the acid water will soon wither.

Illegal abstraction of rare earth is prohibited by government, for faulty operation will cause great damage to environment.

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Thulium (Tm, atomic number 69) was discovered in 1879 by Cleve Thulium occurs in small quantities along with other rare earths in a number of minerals. It is obtained commercially from monazite which contains about 0.007% of the element. Thulium is the least abundant of the rare earth elements, but with new sources recently discovered, it is now considered to be about as rare as silver, gold or calcium. Thulium is very difficult to separate from the other elements because it is so similar in size. It can be isolated by reduction of the oxide with lanthanum metal or by calcium reduction of a closed container. The element is silver/grey, soft, malleable and ductile. It can be cut with a knife. Due to the difficulty to separate it is very expensive and is not used often. It has a +2 and +3 oxidation state. Chemists are beginning to find uses for it and uses should increase in years to come. As with other lanthanides, thulium has a low to moderate acute toxic rating. It should be handled with care.

                 

The few known uses for Thulium are as follows:
169Tm bombarded in a nuclear reactor can be used as a radiation source in portable X-ray equipment.
171Tm is potentially useful as an energy source.
Natural thulium also has possible use in ferries (ceramic magnetic materials) used in microwave equipment and it can be used in for doping fiber lasers.


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