Chapter 1: The Importance of Ilmenite

Ilmenite is not just a mineral; it could play a crucial role in our potential life on the Moon.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

Today's New York Times Spelling Bee features the letters:

Art: Iva Reztok

C, E, I, M, N, T, and a central L (all words must include L)

Merriam-Webster states…

Credit: merriam-webster.com

Who would have thought ilmenite could be a word? It's amusing to consider that the New York Times might disagree!

For more intriguing insights, visit the Spelling Bee Master.

What’s your favorite word from today’s puzzle?

My Perspective

It’s human nature to overlook things we encounter daily, assuming they are simply part of life. Take titanium dioxide, for instance. Perhaps you expected me to mention more common comforts like indoor plumbing or the internet...

Credit: wikipedia.com

No, I’m not referring to something controversial—though that’s another topic! The image depicts titanium dioxide in dust form. I won’t speculate on the outcomes of any improper usage.

Everywhere You Look

Have you consumed food with food coloring recently? Worn sunscreen at the beach? Painted a room? Chances are you’ve encountered titanium dioxide.

According to a 2018 Bloomberg report, titanium dioxide constitutes nearly two-thirds of global pigment production. This compound brightens your toothpaste, enhances the appearance of donuts, and sharpens the contrast of pedestrian crossings against asphalt.

Titanium dioxide has dominated as the most utilized white pigment for years due to its brilliance and high refractive index. Its applications extend to ceramic glazes, tattoo inks, cosmetics, skincare products, and sunscreen (noted for being less detrimental to coral reefs compared to some alternatives). Additionally, it is utilized in specialized optical mirrors and to coat certain pharmaceutical tablets.

This vital compound primarily originates from three minerals: rutile, anatase, and ilmenite—our spotlighted mineral today.

Screenshot collage: Iva Reztok

Ilmenite stands out as the principal source of titanium dioxide.

Wikipedia elaborates that "ilmenite crystallizes in a trigonal system. Its crystal structure is an ordered variant of the corundum structure; in corundum, all cations are identical while in ilmenite, Fe2+ and Ti4+ ions alternate layers perpendicular to the trigonal c axis. With high spin ferrous centers, ilmenite is paramagnetic."

While the technical jargon may be perplexing, the visual intrigue of ilmenite is undeniable.

Image by Materialscientist

The discovery of this mineral dates back to 1791 when William Gregor found it in a stream near Manaccan, a village in Cornwall. Consequently, ilmenite is sometimes referred to as manaccanite. Its name is derived from the German term Ilmenit, named after the Ilmen Mountains in Russia.

Ilmenite often contains significant amounts of magnesium and manganese, with the chemical formula expressed as (Fe,Mg,Mn,Ti)O3. It can create solid solutions with geikielite (MgTiO3) and pyrophanite (MnTiO3), which represent the magnesian and manganiferous end-members of this solution series.

If that sounded complex, take another look at the beauty of ilmenite under natural light.

Image by Islam90

Moreover, ilmenite is often found as a common accessory mineral in metamorphic and igneous rocks. It tends to appear in large concentrations within layered intrusions, forming as part of cumulate layers within the silicate stratigraphy. Typically, ilmenite is located in the pyroxenitic portions of such intrusions.

Let’s examine ilmenite again, this time under polarized light:

Image by Islam90

In summary, while ilmenite may be complex in its scientific details, it is undeniably captivating.

Chapter 2: Ilmenite and Lunar Exploration

The first video titled "Minerals: Oxides - Ilmenite" provides an overview of this fascinating mineral and its properties.

The second video, "How to Identify Ilmenite in Polish Section," offers guidance on recognizing ilmenite in various forms.

The Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s brought back not only conspiracy theories but also lunar rocks. Though you might expect ilmenite to have been discovered in these samples, it was actually identified in soil samples.

Fast forward forty years, and the New York Times reported on a new type of rock found on the Moon by China's Chang’e-3 spacecraft, the first unmanned lunar mission since Apollo. This mission confirmed the presence of ilmenite using spectrometers. A subsequent mission, Chang’e-5, even collected samples for further analysis.

Scientists are confident that ilmenite exists on the Moon, and this discovery is significant. Why is this important? Beyond its aesthetic appeal, ilmenite could potentially be mined to extract oxygen, hydrogen, and helium, which could be harnessed to create breathable air and water. Moreover, the combustibility of these gases could generate electricity.

In a 2005 interview with BBC News, Professor Colin Pillinger noted, “You’d also want to use lunar rocks as construction materials—transporting even an extra kilogram of steel into space is incredibly expensive.”

However, I would advise taking Professor Pillinger's insights with caution, considering his leadership of the Beagle 2 mission to Mars, which faced significant challenges.

Here’s another captivating image for your viewing pleasure:

Credit: BBC News

The image depicts an oxygen-production facility on the Moon, a striking visualization of what such a plant could look like.

While the idea of a lunar base may seem distant, the quest for space exploration continues. My hopes for a moon base have not yet materialized, but the competition among billionaires for space tourism has certainly intensified.

Isn’t it amusing to consider that conspiracy theorists claim the Earth is flat? Perhaps the inability to establish a moon base stems from the notion that the Moon itself is an optical illusion.

In any case, it appears that the New York Times may not have deemed ilmenite noteworthy enough, possibly due to the intricate scientific details involved. Yet, it’s clear that the editors of the Spelling Bee view ilmenite as quite significant.

For more intriguing content, you can explore my previous entry on another fascinating term:

Toxoid

Some vaccines are for bacteria, not viruses.

What exactly is a dord, you ask? Here’s the answer:

'Dord': A Ghost Word

A common question for lexicographers is whether something can be discreetly added to the dictionary.

www.merriam-webster.com