Sequanium
Encyclopedia
Sequanium was the proposed name for a new element found by the Romanian physicist Horia Hulubei
in 1939. The name derived from the Latin word Sequana for the river Seine
running through Paris
where Hulubei worked at that time. Hulubei thought to have discovered element 93 in a tantalite
sample from the French region Haute-Vienne
. Later it was proven that element 93 is not present in natural environment and is only produced in nuclear reactions. The element 93 was synthesised in 1940 and named neptunium
.
Horia Hulubei
Horia Hulubei was a Romanian atomic/nuclear physicist, known for his contributions to the development of X-ray spectroscopy.-Education:He studied at the University of Iaşi and in Paris at the Sorbonne, with the Nobel laureate Jean Perrin as his PhD advisor; he obtained his Ph.D. from the...
in 1939. The name derived from the Latin word Sequana for the river Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
running through Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where Hulubei worked at that time. Hulubei thought to have discovered element 93 in a tantalite
Tantalite
Tantalite, [2O6], is a mineral group that is close to columbite. The two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called coltan or "columbite-tantalite" in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite...
sample from the French region Haute-Vienne
Haute-Vienne
Haute-Vienne is a French department named after the Vienne River. It is one of three departments that together constitute the French region of Limousin.The chief and largest city is Limoges...
. Later it was proven that element 93 is not present in natural environment and is only produced in nuclear reactions. The element 93 was synthesised in 1940 and named neptunium
Neptunium
Neptunium is a chemical element with the symbol Np and atomic number 93. A radioactive metal, neptunium is the first transuranic element and belongs to the actinide series. Its most stable isotope, 237Np, is a by-product of nuclear reactors and plutonium production and it can be used as a...
.