{"title":"Lucite","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"strontium-2-lucite-cube","title":"Strontium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis rarely seen metal is most typically associated with nuclear pollution. Finding the strontium-90 isotope in the atmosphere around your neighborhood is bad news indeed and should be cause for immediate plans to relocate to your mother-in-law's for a while. But don't worry, that should only happen if you live near a malfunctioning nuclear power plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrontium's other isotopes are considerably less harmful. In fact, one big use of it goes into toothpaste because it coats teeth in a microscopic film that protects against cavities. The piece here would be enough to seal a city's worth of its denizens' teeth. We really don't recommend chewing on it though.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDoubly rare is the sight of oxide-free strontium as the metal quickly oxidizes when in air or anything that has the merest whisper of oxygen in any form. Our lab-sourced samples come in ampules filled with argon to preserve the pristine surface of the metal. The ampules are then permanently embedded in these polished cubes in the highest grade of acrylic resin available: Lucite.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746564587685,"sku":"Sr2x2","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Strontium.jpg?v=1777277277"},{"product_id":"sodium-cube","title":"Sodium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhen you hear \"sodium\" it's usually in reference to your diet and how it - along with all the other yummy stuff in junk food - is bad for you and you should cut back. And to most people that's what sodium is. Just another label boogeyman. But when it's not bound up chemically with dancing partner chlorine (or practically anything else) it is a gleaming metal that looks identical to the backing of a mirror. Getting it free of all the other elements that would readily pair up with it to wipe away that luster is a benchmark laboratory challenge for the budding chemist for it requires absolute precision in engineering an environment that is either like outer space or infused with a noble gas, typically argon - the only thing it refuses to pair up with. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eKeeping it shiny like this means that that pristine atmosphere has to be carried wherever it goes. If the glass should break you'll watch in horror as in less than five seconds your precious bit of sodium metal turns the color of week-old pizza. Worry ye not one bit though. This otherwise fragile glass ampule is safely suspended in the middle of this crystal clear block of Lucite resin. Barring some \u003cem\u003every \u003c\/em\u003edetermined effort it will stay probably remain flawless until the day the sun swallows the earth!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746564653221,"sku":"Na2x2","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Sodium.jpg?v=1777277277"},{"product_id":"cerium-2-lucite-cube","title":"Cerium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe rare earths aren't really all that rare. While they're widely distributed all over the earth they're rare enough in the sense that there aren't that many locations where you can find them in concentrated deposits that make mining profitable. And when you do find those deposits the refining steps yield misch metal which is sort of an onomatopoeia for what it actually is: a mishmash of seventeen different metals. Getting those isolated from each other has been rated as one of the major chemical engineering headaches of metallurgical science!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn any case, cerium will account for about half of the misch metal alloy and is the most abundant of those 17 elements. Cerium is also shy about being seen naked so it covers itself with an oxygenated apron yielding a dull coat when stored in mineral oil. Left in the open air it disintegrates right back into its primal earthen state!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eOffering cerium in its unoxidized state requires storage in an inert atmosphere like argon. And that's exactly what we have to offer here with this 3-5g sample of 99.99% purity embedded in a 2x2 inch (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746564849829,"sku":"Ce2x2","price":105.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_5837.jpg?v=1777277281"},{"product_id":"chromium-acrylic-cube","title":"Chromium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eEveryone's familiar with chromium as \"chrome\", that super shiny quintessence of what metal should be. Of course, what they're looking at is only a very thin electrolytically deposited layer and oftentimes it ain't even real chromium but aluminum (pshaw!!).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eReal-to-the-core chromium is however a brittle metal, and costly besides, which explains why its beauty only goes skin deep in most cases. For our purposes though chromium's fragility doesn't matter one bit as it sits behind a thick, protective shield of acrylic and can fully appreciate its icy good looks.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eHere we have the real McCoy in a chunk of ultra-pure chromium metal weighing over an ounce and embedded in a 2x2\" (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.  Hand cast in the USA.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746564980901,"sku":"Cr2x2","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Chromium_01f325a7-3ea4-4614-b79d-75c19041099e.webp?v=1777277283"},{"product_id":"antimony-2-lucite-cube","title":"Antimony 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eA metalloid. A not quite metallic enough metal. They sure *look* like metal.... except when you drop it and it shatters like glass! Antimony would be one good example of this (though it's not quite as fragile as glass). Perhaps the most interesting anecdote about antimony is that its chief ore, a mineral known as stibnite, was crushed in ancient Egypt to be used as eyeliner. Today its uses are far less glamorous: medicine, industrial chemistry applications and in fireproofing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnyway, here's a crystalline piece of it embedded in Lucite, the clearest of all acrylic resins. 99.999%+ pure.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Polycrystalline","offer_id":47746565243045,"sku":"Sb2x2","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Antimony50mm.jpg?v=1777277288"},{"product_id":"chlorine-liquefied-2-cube","title":"Chlorine (liquid) 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eDeadly yet beautiful, chlorine is a gaseous element most of us are familiar with as the pungent active ingredient in bleach. And as offputting as that smell is, bleach is a cocktail of chlorine that has been tamed with several other chemicals to take the edge off. Pure chlorine gas is so nasty that a hundred years ago during the first world war canisters containing it were vented downwind to the gasping horror of the enemy. It was quickly abandoned because the Hand of Fate would just as often blow that breeze right back onto the soldiers that unleashed the monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eWhat makes chlorine such a a feared and aggressive member of the periodic table is its chemistry. The chlorine atom’s outer electron shell is one electron short of a perfect and stable whole. And that slight imperfection gives it a voracious appetite endlessly looking to close the gap with another atom’s electrons.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eIn a sense, forcing chlorine into its elemental state is a chemical tease akin to putting together two magnets very close without allowing them to touch. That buffer is in this case the notoriously deadpan chemical that is silicon dioxide - glass - two atoms which are so right for each other that even bullies like chlorine can’t come between them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eThe infamous pale yellow gas that was the trench soldier’s bane turns to a viscous, deep yellow-orange liquid when pressurized to the unearthly pressure of 109 pounds per square inch. We’ve trapped a little of this infamous entity and squeezed the bejeezus out of it into this little ampoule that you can look at it and wonder about its nature. If you were to heat this cube in boiling water (and, uh, we're not saying you should) you would cross the supercritical liquid-vapor point and the ampule’s contents would appear to vanish. After cooling down it would suddenly condense back out into a half and half state as in the photo.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eThis is one of our most attractively displayed offerings and is cast within a 2x2 inch (50x50mm) cube of Lucite as a permanent display.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746565406885,"sku":"Cl2x2_liq","price":200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Chlorine_283_29_3da05a84-130c-43b1-b8ea-2d246c8f8557.webp?v=1777277292"},{"product_id":"lutetium-50mm-cube","title":"Lutetium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eLutetium is the most expensive element in the rare earths series. This is in part due to its rarity. A hundred pounds of monazite, its chief ore, are needed to get barely an ounce of this metal. But more than that it's the sheer difficulty of extricating it from its rare earth buddies with whom it's always found. And of all the REs lutetium is the most difficult to separate with there being literally hundreds of steps to get from the raw ore to the finished metal at a purity of 99.95%. Let's say that again, \u003cem\u003ehundreds\u003c\/em\u003e of steps! That's why it's so damn expensive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn our offering for this element you will receive a chunky piece of 99.9% pure lutetium weighing about an ounce - to make it that much easier to think of the hundred pounds of rock that it took to make. Each sample was chosen to highlight this metal’s character and color which could be described as dark and moody (if that makes any sort of sense). Of course, each cube comes encased in a 50mm hand polished Lucite acrylic cube that will remain optically clear indefinitely.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746566717605,"sku":"Lu2x2","price":195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_3107_2ad6971b-b81b-4e0b-9e3e-47bdfe3f7c3c.webp?v=1778165234"},{"product_id":"sulfur-50mm-lucite-cube","title":"Sulfur 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eSulfur. Vaguely hellish and certainly associated with all things hot and stinky, this powdery element can sometimes be bought in drug stores and is often typo'd as \"sulphur\". On rare occasion it is found in nature as a translucent yellow crystal but more often as powder stain near volcanoes. It is an essential ingredient in the making of rubber and is infamous for that awful smell of rotten eggs - which is actually the deadly gas hydrogen sulfide!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis dazzlingly yellow element can be described as simultaneously glassy and rocky. It is brittle but when it breaks it crumbles into little pieces that are not sharp and will easily turn to dust in your hands. In this cube a little of it is preserved inside a glass ampule that knocks about in a dull clack - again belying its otherwise handsome glassy looks!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746567602341,"sku":"S2x2","price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Sulfur_284_29_70d6b289-612a-419c-9f9e-5967eed4d313.webp?v=1777277328"},{"product_id":"tennessine-50mm-cube","title":"Tennessine 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscovered - or rather manufactured - in 2010, element 117 is the last element to be placed on the periodic table as of this writing. The heavier atom oganesson was prepared a few years before by smashing atoms of californium with calcium. A similar approach but with berkelium instead of californium should have yielded tennessine but there was no Bk available. Instead, they simply waited til the sample of Cf used in oganesson had decayed into Bk. The experiment was a success and seven atoms of tennessine, and all the backup data to prove it, was published in 2012 by the Russian-American team cooking up new atoms in their Dubna lab.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut, as a postscript, I have to ask why wasn't the symbol made Tn as the state is usually abbreviated?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746568945829,"sku":"Ts2x2_film","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Tennessine_b91f1676-1171-4527-a9a1-0aa8a6648846.webp?v=1778165267"},{"product_id":"dubnium-50mm-cube","title":"Dubnium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDubnium was named after the Russian city of Dubna just outside of Moscow. The city is remarkable in that it was founded basically around a campus dedicated to nuclear research at the height of the cold war. The Soviets invested heavily and brought in the scientific elite to work on transuranic science for benefits scientific and political alike. In recent years the city has become much more open and collaborative with its western counterparts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe discovery of this element is mired in some controversy as rival teams from the U.S. and Germany poked doubt into Russia's reports from the experiments they claimed yielded the as-yet unnamed element. The argument would continue for several decades all the meanwhile all three teams continued to provide conclusive proof of the existence of these fleeting atomic creations. In the end, years after the Soviet Union ceased to exist, the Russians would at long last get the satisfaction of seeing their former colleagues honored when IUPAC - the supreme court in these sorts of matters - granted them the coveted recognition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746569699493,"sku":"Db2x2_film","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Dubnium_282_29_ef5217c7-e92e-41a9-9d12-5d0070fdcb8b.webp?v=1778165279"},{"product_id":"protactinium-50mm-lucite-cube","title":"Protactinium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eAlmost two years to the date after listing our first 50mm acrylic cube on this site (and Amazon) we have scored what will likely be our last element: protactinium.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThis obscure element is so rare in nature that its existence was verified only 99 years ago and it wouldn't be until the 1930's that a few milligrams of the free metal was finally able to be extracted. Then in 1961 the Brits rolled up their sleeves and specifically commissioned a team of nuclear physicists to extract as much of this metal as possible from 60 tons of spent nuclear fuel - an abnormally rich source of Pa-231. For their efforts they were rewarded with a sum total of 125 grams (4 ounces) at a cost of $4,000\/g. Years later the USA came in with some cutthroat pricing from its lab in Oak Ridge, TN at the bargain rate of just $280\/g. But don't bother shopping for it on their site without the necessary permits. A gram of this radioactive element would kill you dead within hours anyway and your corpse declared a superfund toxic site.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eLuckily, the hobbyist is left with the alternative of undertaking their own project in extraction and purification following the same methods that worked for the Curies. You start with high grade uranium ore off of eBay (keywords: uraninite, pitchblende) and then pulverize the living hell out of this rock until the consistency of very fine powder. Of course, this being radioactive dust the whole operation will make this laborious process a very unwholesome one as well without the aid of a full hazmat suit or at least a decent sized glove box. At an average concentration of one part in ten million, you could expect to get a milligram or so of Pa-231 from a twenty pound rock of high grade uraninite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThe process to separate the Pa-231 involves taking the finely powdered uraninite and boiling it in nitric acid to remove the uranium and thorium present. The residue is then treated to heating with hydrofluoric acid over a period of several days. Next, it is subjected to a solvent with the catchy name \u003cem\u003ediisobutyl ketone\u003c\/em\u003e and then more rounds submerged in nitric acid. The end result after all this work is a thin plating deposited on aluminum that contains a microscopic quantity of protactinium metal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eAnd here we have it, a gloriously active quantity rendering some 1,600 decays per second, or 0.045 μCi! Confirmation of the success of the experiment is here shown on the second photograph with the spectroscopic spike signature unique to protactinium.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eAny way you put it this is a tremendously rare opportunity for the advanced collector to obtain an infinitesimally small but verifiable concentrated quantity of one of nature's rarest atoms. The strip resides in an ampule which is permanently sealed inside a 50x50x50mm block of optical clarity acrylic which should last long enough to see the little protactinium sample through its first 32,700 year half life :-)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746569830565,"sku":"Pa2x2","price":2275.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_5840_835b5fb4-ddc6-4ae7-86ec-b9b4741da4cc.webp?v=1777277356"},{"product_id":"aluminum-50mm-lucite-cube","title":"Aluminum 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eMost aluminum sold worldwide is in fact an alloy of 92-99% aluminum with the rest being other elements such as magnesium, iron or zinc. The various recipes are tailored for the specific use with each of these elements offsetting a shortcoming of pure aluminum while adding some desirable quality such as extra strength or resistance to corrosion. Even “pure” aluminum as commercially available, the so-called aluminum 1100 series, is really only around 99% pure as higher levels of purity require expensive extra processing that doesn’t end up being any better or worse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eBut 99.99% pure aluminum is a lab concoction useful only in very specialized applications.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eLike a miniature disco ball seemingly hovering without support, here we have a sphere of this ultra-pure aluminum. These spheres were engineered as specialty bearings which need to be lightweight and (for whatever reason) free of impurities. Far more expensive and delicate than their steel counterparts their relatively high cost is due to their needing to be individually machined. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746571108517,"sku":"Al2x2","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Aluminum_285_29.webp?v=1777277377"},{"product_id":"protactinium","title":"Protactinium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eProtactinium is an exotic element little known outside of nuclear laboratories. Although just 5% as radioactive as the far better known radium, this metal has essentially zero uses even within research circles. A big part of the reason is its extreme rarity in nature, with yields typically only in the parts per billion range even in uranite, where its concentration is highest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eRather than bother with the difficult and expensive process of extracting it from its natural sources, the few scientists who study its properties have an abundant and ever growing supply in the form of nuclear waste. Spent nuclear fuel generates a huge amount of waste material a significant portion of which is rich in the isotopes of this element. When needed, all these scientists need to do is head out to the back shed here all those drums with the radioactive decals are stored and they get their fill.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47746572419237,"sku":"Pa2x2_film","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_2879_4ec83f94-2ef6-4910-a803-4e1841308070.webp?v=1777277392"},{"product_id":"cesium-50mm-lucite-cube-cs2x2","title":"Cesium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eCesium is perhaps the most sought after element for those looking to complete a set of the periodic table. That's probably because, like gallium, you can melt it in your hand. Except you wouldn't do that because you would melt your hand off, too, in a strangely beautiful but all too tragic purple flame. However, holding the cesium safely with a little glass wall in between is another story. Much prettier than gallium, the brassy color and the sheer difficulty of locating the stuff heighten the appeal and wow factor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCesium metal ampoule with one gram of 99.99+ purity embedded in a 2x2 inch (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016422053,"sku":"Cs2x2","price":135.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_6849.webp?v=1778165182"},{"product_id":"lanthanum-50mm-lucite-cube-la2x2","title":"Lanthanum 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eOf the rare earths Lanthanum proves to be one of the easier metals to find - if you don't mind owning a cloudy oxidized piece swimming in oil, that is. The metal is normally shipped in canisters filled with mineral oil. The mineral oil is a good preservative but a thin layer on top of the metal spalls off as whitish lanthanum oxide and leaves behind a more stable form of the oxide that prevents the metal underneath from further corrosion. While irrelevant in terms of its use in the laboratory it's not very aesthetically pleasing. To get shiny lanthanum, small pieces are taken straight from the distillation chamber and placed in an inert atmosphere which fully prevents any oxidation. The samples we sell are stored in argon, in ampoules which are then encased in a 2x2 inch (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016520357,"sku":"La2x2","price":90.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Lanthanum50mm.webp?v=1778165183"},{"product_id":"magnesium-50mm-lucite-cube-mg2x2","title":"Magnesium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eFor those who hunt down specimens of pure elements magnesium doesn't pose much of a challenge even if it's not something you can find at Walmart. Widely used in industry as an alloying agent, and also a lab staple for a wide variety of chemistry applications, it is most often sold as ribbons or powdered metal. Alloyed with aluminum it becomes a very light, yet strong metal. For this reason it's often picked as the choice material for the priciest electronics such as professional cameras and luxury laptops. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur 50mm acrylic cube holds within a piece of 99.99% pure magnesium metal which has been prepared in such a way as to expose an uneven, roughened texture resembling giant popcorn or metal clouds. As all the other cubes we offer, it will look great as a solitary showpiece or as part of a full collection in the large display case that we offer separately.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016553125,"sku":"Mg2x2","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_5815_fa9bfd70-7c3d-42f7-becf-86ea93bee6a4.webp?v=1778165184"},{"product_id":"yttrium-50mm-lucite-cube-y2x2","title":"Yttrium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eDespite what \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yttrium\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c\/a\u003e says, yttrium is neither soft nor silvery. In hardness it is similar to iron with both rating around 4 on the Mohs scale. In color, freshly cut yttrium has a neutral gray color similar to iron that dulls to deep gray over the course of several months. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis metal feels lonely in its assigned spot on the periodic table. It would rather be with its cousins down by the rare earths with which it's always associated in nature. For a collector, yttrium is considered a medium difficulty element to acquire. It is not expensive but it's not something you'd find on grocery shelves either.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the Boss of yttrium samples. An ounce of this light metal means it takes up a major portion of the 5cm cube and makes for a truly impressive display. Also available in a smaller piece of similar texture. Purity is 99.99% in both cases.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016585893,"sku":"Y2x2","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Yttrium_7174bb5b-947e-4cf8-bd52-8177a5fea9b2.webp?v=1778165185"},{"product_id":"tin-50mm-lucite-cube-sn2x2","title":"Tin 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eSure, tin isn't the sexiest metal but it's harder to find than you might think given that \"tin cans\" are really made from steel. Actually, very few household items contain much of this metal nowadays; its main industrial use being as solder and other alloys.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese dramatic shapes are created by rapidly cooling molten tin; the many folds making for a unique and beautiful texture. As is the case with all other items on this page, the beautifully polished Lucite acrylic cube measures 50mm and is guaranteed to remain optically clear without yellowing or crazing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016651429,"sku":"Sn2x2","price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Tin_286_29_999ae053-8899-4c54-9125-b37af7bc02a5.webp?v=1778165186"},{"product_id":"erbium-50mm-lucite-cube-er2x2","title":"Erbium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eErbium is another illustrious member of the Rare Earth Gang. The exceedingly difficult task of separating it from the other rare earths is what makes it rare and expensive. The very few uses that have been found for this metal rest solely in its oxides or alloys. No sculptor has ever set chisel to a block of pure erbium nor jeweler received a commission to make art out of it either. Unless the world someday is host to an eccentric billionaire geek who would like a limited edition all-erbium sports car it's very doubtful anyone will ever make use of this metal either.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExcept us.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe would like to make history by making our own little modest shrine to the Metal Gods with this hand cast Lucite cube featuring a commercially rare piece of 99.9%+ pure erbium to be admired by all and sundry!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016684197,"sku":"Er2x2","price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_6848_651de09a-0444-4719-9892-3f9dd95e3efd.webp?v=1778165186"},{"product_id":"radon-50mm-lucite-cube-rn2x2","title":"Radon 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eNormally we shoot for embedding elements that are at least 99% pure but we make exceptions in a few cases where this isn't practical. Clearly, even if it were possible nobody would want a sizeable sample of pure radon gas. At least we \u003cem\u003ethink \u003c\/em\u003enobody would want such a thing. Radon gas is responsible for over 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. alone where it concentrates in the basements of many homes built in regions where there's a lot of granite or shale.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo worries with this sample offered here however. The amount of radon is very small and trapped behind this much acrylic it is fully shielded from causing any harm. The radon comes from a precisely measured amount of thorium dioxide the decay chain of which yields some 0.00000000017 of a gram's worth of radon atoms at any one time. The weight being so slight it's difficult to get a visual of how much radon you're buying but it would probably take up the volume of a grain of sand... with the rest of the ampule being regular air and the powdered ThO2. All, of course, tidily presented in our beautifully finished 5cm Lucite acrylic cube!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016716965,"sku":"Rn2x2","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Radon_282_29_dbb95be7-5fb0-4a21-a5f4-4c39f589ac24.webp?v=1778165187"},{"product_id":"palladium-50mm-lucite-cube-sq7103pd2x2-25ruble356","title":"Palladium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eLuciteria procures a fair amount of material from Russian sources but this Soviet-era piece is by far the most touching we have come across. This coin was minted in the closing days of the Soviet Union and is a series much sought out by coin collectors fascinated in equal measure by the unusual choice of metal as well as the motif. The front gives us a nostalgic look of cold war symbolism; ten Rubles that were never meant to be spent in any Russian store but instead were swiftly whisked out of the country to be sold to Western markets. On the back, appearing like a Degas sketch, a ballerina strikes a pose mid-pirouette under the simple cyrillic banner \"Russian Ballet\". An incomparable specimen for the element collector who wants the very best representatives for each slot in the periodic table!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCoin weighs 15.5g and is 99.95% pure.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016815269,"sku":"SQ7103Pd2x2_25ruble356","price":3900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Palladium-a.webp?v=1778165188"},{"product_id":"europium-50mm-lucite-cube-eu2x2","title":"Europium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eEvery element collector looks longingly at that row down near the bottom of the periodic table with the unpronounceable names. None of those slots are easy to fill and the \"rare\" in rare earths only raises the interest that much more. But as it turns out only a couple of those are actually truly rare. Europium and lutetium are the crown jewels in this neighborhood; Lu for rarity and Eu for its legendary difficulty in getting a tarnish-free specimen. Well, here's your chance at getting your hands on just such a beast. Check out that oxygen-starved glint. You know you want it. A happy 3g of unoxidized europium in argon, embedded in a 2x2 inch (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.  Lovingly embedded just for you in the USA.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806016880805,"sku":"Eu2x2","price":125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Europium_adc54e51-5a01-4b25-88b5-8a0961d1ddb1.webp?v=1778165189"},{"product_id":"calcium-50mm-lucite-cube-ca2x2","title":"Calcium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eCalcium - known to every schoolkid as some vaguely healthy substance in milk and cheese - is an element whose true nature is much less well known to most people. The metal simply cannot exist in nature uncombined with other elements because it is too reactive; that is, too willing to pair its atoms with other atoms to form molecules.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhile in free form it is unknown to so many its molecules sure aren't: CaCO3 gives us both chalk and marble while the slightly different CaSO4 is much better known as the sheet rock that lines most American homes. Your very bones are a brew of calcium phosphates.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eEven though you get it from drinking milk and yogurt, people shouldn't be surprised to learn that calcium is a metal. After all, reading through the ingredients list on a cereal box there's iron and magnesium and others too. But the thing is that calcium isn't something most are familiar with as an \u003cem\u003eobject\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd yet, it really is a metal. On the moon it would make for a perfect metal to make, I don't know, a cell tower or something. It's very light and plentiful. Why the moon? Well, because there's no atmosphere or water there that could come in contact with our imaginary calcium tower. Either of those touch it and the calcium instantly sizzles and corrodes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo worries though. Our sample here is stored in argon to keep that delicate luster alive for all eternity. Well, as \"eternal\" as the cube don't get broke, that is! ;-)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis offering is for one ampoule containing a piece of 99.99% pure calcium metal embedded in a 50x50mm block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic. Hand cast in the USA.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017011877,"sku":"Ca2x2","price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Calcium_4a30c3fe-9e4c-4f9c-8156-1c159d119e63.webp?v=1778165191"},{"product_id":"arsenic-50mm-lucite-cube-as2x2","title":"Arsenic 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eMention \"arsenic\" and the first thing that comes to most people's minds is some sort of medieval poison. That's all thanks to arsenic trioxide and the many other compounds it forms, which throughout the ages have been fed to unsuspecting husbands in their soup. After a few weeks of this condiment they would wake up one day to a lethal bout of vomiting and diarrhea.... all the easier to pass off as food poisoning! Regular elemental arsenic is much less notorious. Sometimes it's found in its native state but is typically sold as amorphous gray or black powder. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eGetting shiny arsenic is much more difficult because the element promptly oxidizes in open air. To keep it shiny we must deprive it of every last trace of oxygen. This is accomplished by first putting this arsenic in a big fishtank-like glass box that is filled with a noble gas which will not chemically react with it. With sample inside, each glass ampule is then sealed inside this controlled atmosphere and shipped from the laboratory to the caster who turns it into a proper nerd’s trophy! \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017044645,"sku":"As2x2","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Arsenic_282_29_c92b3a7c-163b-48e7-9067-b75fa7753632.webp?v=1778165192"},{"product_id":"samarium-50mm-lucite-cube-sm2x2","title":"Samarium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eAs far as collecting the elements go the only thing that is remarkable about samarium is that it's the cheapest of the sixteen in the rare earths group to acquire. Its one major application is for making strong magnets when alloyed with cobalt. The dendritic distillation with its densely fibrous texture is perhaps the most attractive variant offered.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSamarium metal piece weighing approximately 15 grams and 99.95%+ pure embedded in a 2x2 inch (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017077413,"sku":"Sm2x2","price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Samarium_78dc288a-dbc0-480c-a70a-8e03c2bc93f7.webp?v=1778165193"},{"product_id":"manganese-50mm-lucite-cube-mn2x2","title":"Manganese 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn industrial metal, manganese is used to render desirable properties to steel such as strength and resistance to corrosion. It would be really cool to be able to buy, say, a spoon made out of pure manganese but there is no such thing. In fact, despite being a rather common metal it is actually only rarely available as a standalone metal at all; and then only typically as powder or unattractive electrolytic \"chips\" shiny on one side and the other mottled and oxidized. In an altogether different category we find lab created nodules made for studying naturally occurring alloys rich in manganese that are found on the ocean floor. This one is over 99% pure and embedded in a 2 inch block of gorgeous Lucite.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017142949,"sku":"Mn2x2","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Manganese_282_29_709f3882-1fe8-4b6b-85e5-6991b3b038cc.webp?v=1778165195"},{"product_id":"molybdenum-50mm-lucite-cube-mo2x2-disc","title":"Molybdenum 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eMolybdenum may not be well known in the collective mind of the public but figures prominently in the world of metallurgy as one of the ingredients that, together with iron, makes steel. \"Moly steel\" is a collective term used for many steel grades containing varying amounts of molybdenum all of which yield much higher strength than iron can alone. In metallurgical terms, strength is that property that allows the object to retain its shape under a load; ie. a steel plate not buckling when a weight has been placed on it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur sample of molybdenum started out as a rod which was sliced into a disc then polished to a flawless mirror finish, photographed here reflecting blue glass. The disc is embedded in an optically clear acrylic cube measuring 50x50x50mm.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017372325,"sku":"Mo2x2_DISC","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Molybdenum_282_29_2c448ae8-738f-468f-9318-75d33e4be588.webp?v=1778165196"},{"product_id":"rhenium-50mm-lucite-cube-re2x2-30g","title":"Rhenium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eRhenium is the least well known member of the precious metals group and with an estimated 0.7 parts per billion in the earth's crust a leading candidate for rarest air-stable metal. Despite its obscure status, demand for rhenium easily outpaces the meager annual supply. Most of that rhenium is headed for use in the aerospace industry where it's turned into alloys for use in fighter jet engines and rocket nozzles. It's one of the few substances that can tolerate their hot plasma exhaust without immediately disintegrating.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the ultimate tribute to this, the least well-known of the precious metals. Tipping the scales at 30 grams, this piece of 99.99% pure rhenium was commissioned as a showpiece. Starting out as a handful of metal powder, art was born when it was placed in the crucible of a vacuum arc furnace - the only machine that can melt this refractory metal with its near unattainable 3200 °C melting point. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA true heirloom, this beautiful cube with its stunning, shiny rhenium core is guaranteed to hold a very special place in a lucky owner's collection!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017405093,"sku":"Re2x2_30g","price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Rhenium_283_29.webp?v=1778165197"},{"product_id":"gold-50mm-lucite-cube-au2x2-cry","title":"Gold 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eArguably the most beautiful of metals - and surely the most covetable - gold will never go out of style. This rare commodity's supply is in perpetual strain as jewelers, investors and industrialists continually bid for every gram that comes out of the world's mines.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eEven to the average person gold’s properties are well known for being extraordinarily good electrical conductors and resistance to corrosion. A third characteristic is that the metal is also quite soft. If left to solidify from its molten state (technically, freeze) it will do so in patterns that resemble ice crystals or leaves. That this form appears so alien for such a well known substance is due in large part to that softness. As natural gold nuggets pool deep in the earth and are spat out in volcanic eruptions the violence of the process blunts all those delicate tips. If they even had a chance to form in the first place, that is, because the tiniest amount of contamination will impede that growth also.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eIn a well-appointed lab, however, those special conditions can be induced and allow the flowerlike growths to take place. It is, unfortunately, a slow process prone to unpredictable results that are less than pleasing aesthetically so that only a few are worthy of being cast as showpieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eEach ultrapure gold crystal offered here weighs between three and five grams and is guaranteed to be prettier than any heretofore offered. Go on, do a Google image search and see for yourself :-)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017700005,"sku":"Au2x2_cry","price":810.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/DSC_6857_721bd258-96cf-477b-876f-64e03324614d.webp?v=1778165199"},{"product_id":"silicon-50mm-lucite-cube-si2x2","title":"Silicon 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDeep gray and super lustrous, these crystals are grown for use in the semiconductor industry and are consistently among the most attractive and impressive specimens we offer. Their texture is like that of obsidian but their color more like that of mercury - an irresistibly beautiful combination.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMonocrystalline silicon is the purest form available for this or any other commercially available element. At a mind-boggling 99.9999999% purity this means there are fewer than one contaminant atoms per billion silicon ones!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSample weighs about ten grams grams and is embedded in a 50x50x50mm block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017765541,"sku":"Si2x2","price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Silicon_284_29_47b1fbb4-8fb8-4cee-b959-c71a045bad96.webp?v=1778165200"},{"product_id":"indium-50mm-lucite-cube-in2x2","title":"Indium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eGermanium is named after Germany and francium after France but indium is not named after India. The name was instead inspired from spectroscopy where its discoverer analyzed a sample containing this metal gave off an indigo glow, a beautiful color halfway between blue and purple.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIndium has many uses in electronics and its demand worries project managers who note that the element has no ore deposits anywhere in the world. Instead, the mining of copper, lead and zinc have small amounts of indium mixed in as impurities and it’s here that the world gets it from. Problem is, however, that the growing demand is not being met with more mine openings. Eventually, indium may trade for a much higher price than it does today as a result of that market demand-supply imbalance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHere we have a meaty piece of this exotic metal embedded in a block of Lucite measuring two inches on a side. Purity is 99.995%.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806017962149,"sku":"In2x2","price":90.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Indium_286_29_e2610bbf-22c6-4538-a5b8-053501174fcd.webp?v=1778165201"},{"product_id":"bismuth-50mm-lucite-cube-bi2x2","title":"Bismuth 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMany an element collector started out by coming across these little souvenirs, found in museum gift stores or rock shops. The weird Escher-like formations happen when molten bismuth begins to solidify at an uneven pace along its surfaces. As the surfaces collide they change directions at right angles according to its lattice structure and in so doing create the odd-looking walls and stair steps. The iridescence is due to very thin layers of oxidation and are allowed to occur for purely aesthetic reasons; a little thicker here, a little thinner there, in each case a different color is produced due to light refraction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe lab-grown bismuth metal crystal is over 99.99% pure. Sample weighing 15-25g embedded in a 2x2 (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic. Hand cast in the USA.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018027685,"sku":"Bi2x2","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Bismuth_285_29_2fecfef4-08c2-41b4-b25e-7a0f86fd349d.webp?v=1778165201"},{"product_id":"tellurium-50mm-lucite-cube-te2x2","title":"Tellurium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eHere we have an absolutely stunning sample of the very rare element tellurium. Shards of metal looking every bit like they came off an artifact recovered in deep space. Not exactly alienware but for its legendary rarity it might as well be!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTellurium is sufficiently inert to guarantee that it can remain in its elemental state on earth but the conditions necessary for this to occur, coupled with the metal's overall scarcity, make this an extremely rare event. It has found its industrial niche in electronics as a semiconductor with a set of unique characteristics. While supply is currently able to keep up with demand the lack of this commodity's abundance makes its future affordability quite uncertain.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA piece broken off of a zone-refined crystal is embedded in a Lucite cube 50 millimeters on a side. Purity is rated at an amazing 99.999%!!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018158757,"sku":"Te2x2","price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Tellurium_286_29_91f63918-bc29-40ff-8782-eac98922887b.webp?v=1778165204"},{"product_id":"dysprosium-50mm-lucite-cube-dy2x2","title":"Dysprosium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eLike the other metals in the rare earths group, dysprosium is usually separated from its kin via time consuming processes that drive up the cost of getting the isolated element. Industrially-sourced dysprosium normally comes in thick plates that are then broken up into smaller pieces. The highest grade of purification however will be fibrous-looking pieces that form as crystals precipitated out of solution - and most would agree this also happens to be the most beautiful version as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eEncased in this gorgeous acrylic presentation piece is about an ounce of this exotic metal. 2x2x2” Lucite hand cast in the USA which will never yellow or haze.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018191525,"sku":"Dy2x2","price":125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Dysprosium_283_29_66bab908-1b0e-4062-9a25-74e8746e8273.webp?v=1778165205"},{"product_id":"thulium-50mm-lucite-cube-tm2x2","title":"Thulium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAt a nerd party you could be the king geek when you bring in this block containing the exotic metal known as thulium. Unlike the rest of the so-called \"rare earths\" thulium really is rare at only 0.5 parts per million in the earth's crust. Let that sink in for a minute. Scoop up a million pounds of dirt and in all of it there's only a hamburger's worth of thulium mass in there! And with China, which produces over 99% of the metal, recently curtailing its export someday this curiosity might well end up becoming jewelry!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf these facts leave you a little meh-so-what consider also the exceptional difficulty involved in the purification of thulium. One process outlines no fewer than 15,000(!) distillation cycles in order to obtain pure thulium. More modern shortcuts have whittled this down to a bare few hundred. Hopefully this gives one measure of what it takes to get these little bits of metal! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlright, here is a big woodsy chunk of 99.95% pure thulium metal so you can show it off at that party and amaze everyone.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018355365,"sku":"Tm2x2","price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Thulium_283_29.webp?v=1778165205"},{"product_id":"bromine-50mm-lucite-cube-br2x2","title":"Bromine 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis deep red element is a notoriously obnoxious poison whose fumes reportedly smell like concentrated bleach and whose touch - oh the pain! But confined within its little see-through cage we can admire its hauntingly beautiful ruddy shade without worry. Upon shaking, the heavy liquid briefly coats the inside of the ampule before settling down. You’ll love shaking the cube and looking up at a light to see through it! \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018420901,"sku":"Br2x2","price":175.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Bromine_5ffa1c30-7158-4d2c-bd67-b8be1d12e04f.webp?v=1778165206"},{"product_id":"xenon-50mm-lucite-cube-xe2x2-hp","title":"Xenon 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe rare and heavy gas xenon can be a liquid at room temperature if placed under enough pressure as shown in this little vial. Well, the room would have to be a little drafty to be sure... once the temp goes above 60 degrees (that's 16 Celsius to you non-Americans) then the liquid turns into a gas. A very fun cube to hold and play with. Not too cold where you live? Put it in your fridge for a few minutes and let it warm in your hand to see the transition effect. This xenon sample is embedded in a 2x2 inch (50x50mm) block of crystal clear Lucite acrylic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018519205,"sku":"Xe2x2_hp","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Xenon_285_29_e1d17bc8-78e4-46f4-a93c-a1cd8a8f8ed6.webp?v=1778165208"},{"product_id":"zinc-50mm-lucite-cube-zn2x2","title":"Zinc 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eZinc is a cheap metal. Mundane to the point of contempt. It's the metal you think of when visualizing the roofs of a shantytown. It's the humble innards just under the surface of a penny because otherwise a penny that is copper to the core would cost a pretty penny. It mostly gets a bad rap because it weathers poorly so that it tarnishes quickly in air and often corrodes completely.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThey say you can't make a purse from a sow's ear but we beg to differ! This sample of zinc we purposely set out to make as unconventional as possible. This unique texture is created by allowing molten zinc to fall in cold water where it instantly freezes solid to retain the drop-like shapes it had while still molten. They are then simply gathered into a tight grouping and left to be immobilized by the curing acrylic resin that will become an acrylic block. Needless to say, as they're handmade no two will be exactly alike - and each one showboating this element’s  beautiful bluish luster.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018584741,"sku":"Zn2x2","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Zinc_288_29_b5ba4385-1c56-468d-b275-5fe369e1d8b4.webp?v=1778165208"},{"product_id":"niobium-50mm-lucite-cube-nb2x2","title":"Niobium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eLittle wonder that exotic niobium should be used for jewelry when it rocks such beautiful skin hues. Like most other metals, pure niobium tends to oxidize in air. unlike most other metals, however, its oxides are particularly striking. By carefully heating the virgin metal at a precise speed and temperature you can get most any color in the rainbow. Here we’ve achieved this rainbow effect simply by changing the voltage as the cylinder is slowly pulled out of the anodizing bath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eSample is a half-inch rod weighing approximately 20 grams. Purity is 99.95%.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018617509,"sku":"Nb2x2","price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Niobium_286_29_98925cf3-66e9-4fe5-9432-aab3ed6ef101.webp?v=1778165209"},{"product_id":"thallium-50mm-lucite-cube-tl2x2","title":"Thallium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThallium kills. It's an order of magnitude more poisonous than arsenic and just 3 grams of the stuff, less than the weight of a penny, is all that it takes to kill a person. But behind this bulletproof window called Lucite the little sample within is safe enough that a baby can play with it. Not that that's a good idea, mind you! In addition to being poisonous, thallium is also a finicky metal that is difficult to keep free of surface oxides, becoming leaden gray under oil and degrading to dust in open air. This thallium sample is kept shiny thanks to being encapsulated in a glass ampule under argon gas which effectively prevents any type of chemical reactions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018683045,"sku":"Tl2x2","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Thallium_282_29_f1636f93-bd0d-42ec-a337-d55148a36d8e.webp?v=1778165210"},{"product_id":"rhodium-50mm-lucite-cube-rh2x2","title":"Rhodium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eCollecting elements starts off cheap with a bit of aluminum here, a little copper wire there and a lead sinker you found in the basement. Then, as each new slot in your set gets filled in the challenge of finding the next and its price goes up. Then when it gets to the platinum group the price goes waaaay up. Either that or you settle for tiny samples. And this is rhodium, the rarest and most expensive metal ever sold as bullion, currently sitting at an astronomical $10,000+ an ounce(!) Many would say that its exorbitant cost is \u003cem\u003estill \u003c\/em\u003eundervalued relative to its rarity!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eEach cube holds a one gram sample of 99.95% pure rhodium metal as scattered flakes that sparkle like jewelry. Each cube comes in optical clarity Lucite acrylic worthy of a museum display! Larger samples are available on request.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018748581,"sku":"Rh2x2","price":765.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Rhodium50mm_ccc060fa-1dba-42bb-8cd8-5643797065cc.webp?v=1778165211"},{"product_id":"mercury-50mm-lucite-cube-hg2x2","title":"Mercury 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eNot too long ago it used to be the case that you could walk into any drugstore and pick a mercury thermometer off the rack for a couple of bucks. Many of these wound up being broken up on purpose by kids who could play with the fun little metal balls that scurried to and fro. But times have changed and mercury is synonymous with poison so a safety conscious world has seen to it that those thermometers share the same historical fate as shoe fitting X-ray scopes and cocaine tonics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut this reputation is in large part undeserved. True, mercury organometallics remain among the most feared of poisons and it's caused terrible environmental damage. But uncombined in its elemental state mercury is fairly inert which means it doesn't do much of anything. And locked up inside an ampule within a chunk of super inert acrylic resin makes it even safer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmbedded ampule contains 30 grams of 99.9% pure mercury.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018814117,"sku":"Hg2x2","price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Mercury_74043c00-6bd6-4c99-9c64-6ae1556b8a1f.webp?v=1778165211"},{"product_id":"iridium-50mm-lucite-cube-ir2x2-9g","title":"Iridium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe title of rarest metal is a matter of controversy but iridium is always one of the top contenders. In addition to being super rare, iridium's extraordinary noble character finds uses in chemistry where an equally extraordinary resistance to corrosion is called for. And extraordinary also happens to be a good adjective to describe the fetching price of this handsome metal. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eFor this tier we reserve the very best iridium specimens. Each weighs around ten grams, is 99.95% pure and selected to wow anyone who’s heard of this metal. It has been perfectly set in this block of Lucite acrylic measuring 50mm per side. It is in every sense of the word a one of a kind trophy whose equal you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018879653,"sku":"Ir2x2_9g","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Iridium_284_29_a67fe5a4-e4a0-42ea-ba68-030c398b013a.webp?v=1778165212"},{"product_id":"potassium-50mm-lucite-cube-k2x2","title":"Potassium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe health conscious will know that potassium is good for the heart and you can get plenty by eating bananas. Not too many people know, or care, that potassium is a silvery \u003cem\u003emetal\u003c\/em\u003e. A good reason for this is that it only stays a metal in the vacuum of space or when surrounded by a noble gas. The slightest trace of oxygen - or most any other element for that matter - quickly reacts with it to form compounds. Even under mineral oil, which is very inert, a piece of potassium will manage to tarnish from trace impurities.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePotassium in elemental form is quite difficult to find generally speaking but is an even bigger challenge to get it in ampule form where that delicate mirror finish can be appreciated. This cube guarantees it will stay free of oxides permanently.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018912421,"sku":"K2x2","price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Potassium_282_29_7d9e68b6-acd7-4666-91b8-cf46c1180bb9.webp?v=1778165214"},{"product_id":"praseodymium-50mm-lucite-cube-pr2x2","title":"Praseodymium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eHere we have precious, praiseworthy praseodymium (chuckle! snort!)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis rare earth element is a good contender for most exotic sounding name on the periodic table. It is, as comparisons go, one of the easier lanthanides to acquire as it makes up a good portion of the bulk in the monazite and bastnaesite ores from which it's refined. Element 59 is reactive in air and quickly goes from shiny metal to pile of dust. For this reason we always have it stored in ampules under argon. Our samples weigh approximately 5 grams and have been refined to an impressive 99.99% purity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806018977957,"sku":"Pr2x2","price":90.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Praseodymium_285_29.webp?v=1778165215"},{"product_id":"barium-50mm-lucite-cube-ba2x2","title":"Barium 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIf it means anything at all to most people \"barium\" will most likely trigger unhappy memories of a nurse watching over you while you guzzle down glass after glass of a gross drink that tastes like liquid chalk. This its most popular use is due to the element's being opaque to X-rays. That way all that chalky juice perfectly silhouettes your gut for the doctor to make out what's wrong with your tummy!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe pure element itself is very reactive and tough to isolate too. Since it's also a metal with few practical uses this makes it a two-fold problem for collectors. On the one hand being little more than a laboratory curiosity going through the trouble to get the metal is costly and, secondly, its high affinity to combine with other elements presents challenges to keeping it from doing just that. Typically, it's dunked into mineral oil which is cheap and inert enough. Inert enough for a lot of elements; barium not being one of them! In oil the outermost crust will hungrily sniff out every last trace of oxygen to form dulling oxides. The most efficient way to maintain the metallic luster of this metal is to encapsulate it under argon. \u003cem\u003eNothing\u003c\/em\u003e combines with argon!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis acrylic cube contains approximately three grams of very pure barium metal fully free of oxidation. The ampule is permanently sealed in a cast Lucite acrylic cube measuring 5cm to a side.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806019043493,"sku":"Ba2x2","price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Barium_dc43962c-228a-4987-908d-e65894b67103.webp?v=1778165217"},{"product_id":"oxygen-50mm-lucite-cube-o2x2","title":"Oxygen 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWe can't live without it, of course. Making up 21% of the air we breathe, oxygen is also the \"O\" in H2O meaning that it's probably the single most important element necessary for life. And yet in pure form oxygen is extremely toxic. It would thoroughly ravage a fine pair of lungs within a couple of breaths and the very air around you would ignite if you so much as thought of fire. Out of all the elements this one atom also indiscriminately pairs itself with just about every other to produce, of course, \u003cem\u003eoxidation \u003c\/em\u003e- sometimes a good thing, often not. Trapped as it is in here though, this little amount of 99.9% pure oxygen is completely harmless and you can safely mock it or admire it. Up to you!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806019076261,"sku":"O2x2","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Oxygen_569b2ea9-8ab6-4216-bc4c-80d4fd0ce180.webp?v=1778165218"},{"product_id":"tantalum-50mm-lucite-cube-ta2x2-cyl","title":"Tantalum 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis exotic metal is named after the Greek god Tantalus who was tormented for all eternity to stand in water and with hanging fruit all around yet was unable to quench either thirst or hunger as the object of his torment kept them just outside of reach. The element, too, is outside of the reach of most. Despite being incredibly dense no hardware store stocks tantalum hammers. It is among the most corrosion resistant metals known but there's practically nothing available taking advantage of this property. Why? Because it's so rare and expensive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eToday the world has an insatiable appetite for cell phones and other electronics where tantalum has been found to be an ideal metal for capacitors and other doodads. What little of it is mined every year happens to be worth a lot of money. Sadly, its principal mines happen to be smack-dab in the middle of the Congo and Rwanda where ownership of these mines is incessantly tussled over by AK-47 wielding thugs right alongside other commodities like diamonds and ivory.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd here we have the ultimate offering of this metal. Looking at us is a machined and precision cut tapered cylinder made of 99.95% pure Ta measuring 2cm per side. Sourced from Russia, this sample was designed to impress with both its heft and workmanship. Appreciate its cold, gray character of this semi-precious metal and maybe think something cool in your mind’s best Russian accent!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eComes in a very attractive crystal clear acrylic cube measuring 50mm on a side.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEhhhhh…. update. While the cube pictured is indeed from Russia starting in 2024 we needed to switch suppliers and now we buy them from (oh, come on, you can guess which country). However, seeing as things are I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re still the same source because why reinvent the wheel? \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806019240101,"sku":"Ta2x2_cyl","price":200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Tantalum_02aa76a0-76ae-45a6-8fac-bde5581858f0.webp?v=1778165219"},{"product_id":"silver-50mm-lucite-cube-ag2x2-cry","title":"Silver 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eSilver has been among man's most prized of nature's gifts since antiquity and the allure is easy to understand given its dazzling shade of white. Soft and easy to work with, the metal practically begged to be turned into coins and jewelry and all other manner of treasure to be held and beheld.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn nature silver typically combines with other elements but on rare occasions it forms metal crystals or even wiry bundles. While the rarity of these natural forms precludes it from being offered here at Luciteria we have in these lab-grown crystals the functional equivalent; each hyper-pure crystal a unique shape sure to delight and forever protected through inch-thick acrylic. An absolutely beautiful specimen worthy of a museum display!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806019272869,"sku":"Ag2x2_cry","price":220.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Silver_289_29.webp?v=1778165221"},{"product_id":"tungsten-50mm-lucite-cube-w2x2","title":"Tungsten 50mm Lucite Cube","description":"\u003cp\u003eNot too long ago tungsten was a rather obscure metal. The internet has changed all that as word got out and people can't believe how heavy it feels in their hands (being nearly twice as heavy as lead). So now they've turned tungsten items into playthings for the curious with jewelry, paperweights of all shapes and sizes and a slew of other trending uses. How cool, then, to add this very classy cube to your desktop bling collection?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn this offering we have a piece of 99.95% pure tungsten weighing 85 grams (3 ounces) encased in crystal clear Lucite acrylic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Luciteria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47806019338405,"sku":"W2x2","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/files\/Tungsten_282_29_9a574195-5ccf-41fa-9781-53cd792f028c.webp?v=1778165222"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8833\/6805\/collections\/Group_197_539bf1a7-3ef3-4681-995c-93aa4bb985f1.jpg?v=1776954587","url":"https:\/\/luciteria.com\/collections\/lucite.oembed","provider":"Luciteria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}