Zirconium - shape-shifting time capsule

Zirconium is a shape-shifting tough cookie, that is a tale of gemstones, medical implants and nuclear reactors, says Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 98 of Elemental.

Zirconium is a metal that is a shape-shifting tough cookie.

It is found in gemstones - think zircons and cubic zirconia, often known as 'fake diamond.' Zirconia is nearly as hard as diamond and it is a refractory material that is pretty impervious to heat and pressure.

Zircons are tiny geological time capsules containing trace amounts of uranium and thorium that geologists can use to work out how old they are.

Zirconium alloyed with tin is used in nuclear reactors as it doesn't corrode and isn't itself radioactive, says Professor Allan Blackman from the Auckland University of Technology, in episode 98 of Elemental.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details