Minerals and metals from fiction in real life

In one of the scenes from the film "X-MenOrigins", we see Wolverine 's transformation process : his claws and his entire skeleton become composed of the most resistant metal on Earth, the Adamantium!

Known for being an indestructible and inflexible metal alloy, the metal would be extremely useful in the metallurgical industry for producing stronger alloys. The final product of Adamantium would have applications in civil engineering, as well as in the construction of aeroplanes and cars. Another very important application would be in the war industry, as in the coating of tanks and other armoured vehicles.

Valyrian steel, which makes up the plot of the "Chronicles of Fire and Ice" and the spin-off series "Game of Thrones", has its origins in Valyria, home city of the Targaryen, Velaryon and Celtigar houses. Over time, the secret to making the steel has been lost, but its main components are believed to be magic and enchantment. For this reason, Valyrian Steel may even be able to withstand Daenerys Targaryen's famous "Dracarys" , The Unburnt.

Among its special characteristics, Valyrian steel blades are lighter, stronger, sharper and more wavy. In the real world, the steel would be attributed to the production of sharper blades with high mechanical resistance.

Back in the Marvel universe, Vibranium has a great advantage: it absorbs energy instead of conducting it, as well as being highly resistant. Although the metal is popularly portrayed as one of the main components of Captain America's shield, the first time it appears in the comics is to manufacture the weapons used by Black Panther and his archenemy Sonic Claw.

Not coincidentally, the largest reserves of Vibranium are to be found in Wakanda one of the factors behind the construction of such an advanced society. The metal is also part of Black Panther's costume.

Outside of comics and cinema screens, Vibranium, the world's rarest metal, could be ideal for the automotive industry, allowing the development of much more resistant car bodies. In construction structures capable of absorbing large impacts could be created.

What if, instead of weakening effects, the kryptonite could have applications on planet Earth?

Kryptonite, capable of weakening one of DC's greatest superheroes, Superman, is a mineral from the planet Krypton, with harmful reactions for any Kryptonian. But what about on Earth: what use could it be?

One of the noble gases present on our planet, albeit in very low quantities, is krypton, which already has everyday applications, but which could be improved with the use of kryptonite. An example of this would be the production oflasers lasers, high-speed photographic flashes and special incandescent light bulbs. Ah, we just have to keep all this away from Lex Luthor!

Dilithium is part of the fictional universe of "Star Trek" and is portrayed as an extremely rare crystal that cannot be replicated. In the series, it is used to enable ships to exceed the speed of light because, when placed in a high-frequency electromagnetic field, it does not react with antimatter. This means that when the speed of light is reached, there is no annihilation of matter.

In our reality, this crystal would act as an excellent propellant for ships, jets and rockets!

Mithril, featured in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, is one of the main minerals exploited. Because it was so precious, it had an extremely high value.

One of the most striking moments in the story is when Bilbo receives a waistcoat made of mithril, described as a metallic mesh shirt, woven with many rings close together, flexible, cold, tough and shiny, adorned with white stones and a belt of pearls and crystal. Throughout the story, other characteristics of the metal are presented, such as: higher resistance than steel, never oxidises and lighter than aluminium.

Among the various uses the metal could have, the main ones are in metallurgy. It could also be used as a raw material for bulletproof vests and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

In James Cameron's film "Avatar", the Unobtainium an ore extracted from the moon of Pandora, has magnetic and superconducting properties and is presented as a solution to the energy crisis on Earth, as well as being used as a propellant in spaceships.

The name chosen by the film's author was no coincidence: the term, which comes from Latin, has been used for decades to refer to something that doesn't exist or is impossible to obtain using current technology. But if the barriers of existing technology are overcome, Unobtainium has the combination of three important characteristics: lightness, resistance to high temperatures and resistance to radiation damage. With its superconducting properties, it would be ideal for conducting electricity over long distances.

While we still don't have these minerals and metals in our daily lives, we'll have to rely on the ores we know so well, which, even without superpowers, are extremely useful for our current way of life.

Access other content like this on our blog!

https://stringfixer.com/pt/Dilithium_(Star_Trek)

https://aminoapps.com/c/oficialtxtaminoo/page/blog/mithril-moria-e-durin/q7VX_3khRuw3o6RwjNw5pVlzJXNNlnD4Jp

https://super.abril.com.br/coluna/cultura/8-substancias-da-ficcao-que-facilitariam-nossa-vida/#:~:text=Vibranium&text=Onde%20apareceu%3A%20ficou%20famoso%20por,terra%2Dnatal%20do%20Pantera%20Negra.

https://www.tabelaperiodica.org/usos-do-criptonio-no-cotidiano-e-onde-existe-o-elemento/

https://www.geloefogo.com/2012/02/o-aco-valiriano.html

 

Brenda Costa Belchior Guimarães

Mining Engineering student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais and DMT intern.

brenda.belchior@dmt-group.com