Kryptonite, the protagonist of one of the most famous stories of superheroes of all time: “Superman”, is a stone that although it has been created for entertainment, shares the same characteristics of the comic stone with a mineral which is chemically similar in composition. However, we will show you that Jadarite or actual Kryptonite differ in some aspects.
This rare mineral was discovered by several geologists in the mines of the Jader region in Serbia in 2006, coincidentally very near where Lex Luthor found the Kryptonite mine in the first movie of this legendary film franchise. After extensive analysis and research at the Natural History Museum, it was concluded that this stone had almost the same chemical composition of the famous Kryptonite described in comics, that is, sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide.
Nevertheless, jadarite cannot honor the name given by the comic book because it was discovered that the mineral has nothing to do with krypton, which is colorless noble gas. However, its name derives from its place of origin. Another difference between the real and the fictional mineral is the color. Jadarite is not green or sparkling; rather it is white and grainy. It does not emit radiation, and most definitely, it does not weaken any super human. It is believed that if largest deposits of the mineral are found, commercial uses could be attributed.
The actual Kryptonite can bring great benefits to mankind in the near future due to the properties of the mineral. The boron could be used to encapsulate the radioactive material in the nuclear fission processes; and it also has an important role in the system of electricity production. Besides boron, the other elements presented in the composition of this mineral could be exploited for their extraordinary properties.
On May 9, 2007, jadarite was exposed to the world at the Museum of Belgrade, capital of Serbia. To give honor to the history of the famous superhero, it is displayed in bright green light, as described in the famous stone that weakens the powers of “Superman”, this in order to draw the attention of viewers. Do not miss this museum!