Teasing out yttrium’s metallic character is not very easy. Like many of the rare earth metals it resembles, yttrium is difficult to isolate. The refiners that work with it offer generally unattractive forms meant for industrial use. Making it into appealing objects usually requires remelting in oxygen-free furnaces as it would otherwise instantly oxidize. Even at room temperature yttrium tends to tarnish, especially in humid environments.

We resort to a small Chinese lab that takes the trouble to purify yttrium from ordinary 99.9% to 99.99%. This tenfold increase in purity allows for the formation of dendritic crystals which are somewhat similar to those of scandium (not surprising considering the two are homologues). But where scandium’s crystal habit tends to the wiry, here yttrium takes on the appearance of a furry mat. Because there are myriads of these growths, each leaning to a slightly different angle, the effect recalls a sheet stuck with glitter.

Thankfully, that glitter is safe from ever dulling over with tarnish as the sample is sealed within an argon-filled glass dome.