Cerium

Young’s modulus and the lattice-scaled stiffness for selected materials – See page lattice scaled stiffness for details.

Cerium is not the most abundant element. But also not extremely rare.

Cerium is possibly of interest for early primitive force applying mechanosynthesis
as CeO₂ has a particularly high lattice scaled stiffness.

The lattice scaled stiffness of pyrite FeS ₂ is still a bit higher.

CeO₂ is cubic, space group: Fm3m, #225 Natural occuring as the cerianite
solid solution mixing with Thorium substituting for cerium.
Since ThO₂ has the same structure it seems likely that
the whole range of checkerboard compounds should be stable and accessible.

Natural thorium is rather weakly radioactive (like natural uranium)
thus safely as a solid non dusting mineral with a bit of care.

Related

• Chemical element
• Lattice scaled stiffness

External links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerium(IV)_oxide
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerianite-(Ce) 7.3g/ccm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium_dioxide
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorianite Mohs 6.5 to 7.0 9.7g/ccm