What metal is named for a mythical creature?

BRY2K

Promethium. Promethium is a rare earth metal. Promethium was long sought-after, and with the implementation of the periodic table it already had its place as element 61 in the row of the rare-earth metals. However, it had never been isolated or identified in any mineral. All claims of 'discovery' were discarded in 1941 when it was shown that the element does not occur in natural minerals. Instead it was prepared synthetically in 1945 by Charles D Coryell, Jacob A Marinsky, Lawrence E Glendenin and Harold G Richter. They named it after the mythological figure Prometheus, who stole fire from the Gods and was punished - an allusion to the pros and cons of nuclear reactions. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3768861 http://www.webelements.com/promethium/ Sep 04 08, 6:04 AM

zbeckabee

Directly or indirectly: Iridium -- Iris Niobium -- Niobe, daughter of Tantalus Palladium -- Pallas Plutonium -- Pluto Promethium -- Prometheus Tantalum -- Tantalus Tellurium -- Tellus/Terra Mater Thorium -- Thor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemical_element_name_etymologies Sep 04 08, 8:32 AM

Baloo55th

As author says 'creature', and is usually a stickler, I'd go for Cobalt from kobold and related to goblin etc. Incidentally, if you must risk the wrath of the gods by referring to them as creatures, don't leave Neptunium out... Thanks to Zb for the reference which applies to this answer too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemical_element_name_etymologies Sep 04 08, 12:04 PM

zbeckabee

For the sake of clarity: A creature is something created. A living being, especially an animal: land creatures; microscopic creatures in a drop of water. A human. An imaginary or fantastical being: mythological creatures; a creature from outer space. One dependent on or subservient to another. http://www.answers.com/topic/creature MY point in posting the definition, was to clarify that a human also qualifies as a "creature," thus, one could make a strong argument for the same application being used for the Gods and other characters of mythology. Sep 04 08, 2:46 PM

author

I was thinking of the Kobold - a German sprite. Other answers may also be correct. Don't you think the Kobold is a 'creature'? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobold Sep 04 08, 3:27 PM

elburcher

Titanium for the Titans of Greek mythology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium Sep 04 08, 7:14 PM