Iridium…………
First, I have thought for years the war in Afghanistan was due to the northern Lithium deposits that are there. I get the oil war thing but this was mentioned probably ten years ago a few, very few, times. Same war, different compound. Then I found this………..
Iridium is one of the nine least abundant stable elements in Earth's crust, having an average mass fraction of 0.001 ppm in crustal rock; gold is 40 times more abundant, platinum is 10 times more abundant, and silver and mercury are 80 times more abundant.[6] Tellurium is about as abundant as iridium.[6] In contrast to its low abundance in crustal rock, iridium is relatively common in meteorites, with concentrations of 0.5 ppm or more.[43] The overall concentration of iridium on Earth is thought to be much higher than what is observed in crustal rocks, but because of the density and siderophilic ("iron-loving") character of iridium, it descended below the crust and into Earth's core when the planet was still molten.[22]
One of the hardest and least abundant natural compounds on earth.
Spitballing here. Even more fascinating was it's discovery.