Gray-white metal m.p. 819 ºC; 1506 ºF b.p. 1194 ºC; 2181 ºF density (α) 6.9665, (β) 6.54 g/cc; (α) 434.9044, (β) 408.28 pound/cubic foot	memory peg
	1878 Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac, France
	Ytterby, village in Sweden (just as Erbium, Terbium, and Yttrium!)

The story of discovery and naming of the rare earth element Ytterbium began with Carl Gustav Mosander splitting old yttria into three new elements, yttria proper, erbia, and terbia (cf. Yttrium). In 1860 the Swedish chemist Nils Johan Berlin (1812-1891) denied the existence of Mosander’s erbia, and gave this name to his terbia. Also Berlin's erbia itself proved to be a mixture.

On 22 October 1878, Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac reports that he has split terbia in two new earths, terbia proper and ytterbia, which Ytterbium. He named it (again) after Ytterby, a village in Sweden near Stockholm (note). Like Mosander, it seems lack of phantasy. It is the fourth element named after this village, we alread had Yttrium, Erbium, and Terbium. And, ytterbia was the original name Gadolin gave to yttria.

Marignac's ytterbia was split by Nilson in 1879 into scandia (see Scandium) and a new ytterbia.

Finally, Nilson's ytterbia was separated by Georges Urbain (1872-1938) in 1907 into neo-ytterbia and lutecia, with the elements Neo-ytterbium and Lutecium (note).

Auer von Welsbach proposed for these elements the names Aldebaranium and Cassiopeium. In the report of the International Commission on Atomic Weights of 1906 it was mentioned that Urbain and Auer had independently proved that the old Ytterbium was a mixture of two elements, for one of which Urbain had suggested, and the Commission approved, the name Lutecium. To avoid confusion, the optional name, Neoytterbium, for the other element was recommended. A symbol appears not to have been proposed. The optional name Neoytterbium was not abandoned until 1925, since then it is Ytterbium.

John and Gordon Marks suggested in 1994 the name Spectrium (Sp) after the spectroscope which identiefied many lanthanide elements. The Marks brothers found the old names ugly and confusing. They offered alternative names that are equivalent contemporary (at the time and place of discovery) metaphors, both more euphonious and more memorable (note).

See also: Chronological list of discovery of the rare earths, their names in different languages etc. on the Yttrium page

Ytterby

Ytterby, a village in Sweden on the island of Resarö, close to Vaxholm (east of Stockholm) is a deposit of many unusual minerals, containing rare earth and other elements. At the Vaxholm Fästnings Museum (in the Vaxholm citadel) there is a minute exhibition about the Ytterby mine, known for Ytterbium, Yttrium, Terbium, Holmium, Scandium, Gadolinium and Lanthanum. In 1989 the mine was voted the "Historical Landmark of the year" by the American Society of Metals, which annually awards a place, building etc. having a historical significance within the metal or metalworking industry. A plaque from the ASM can be found at the entrance to the mine.

Quartz was quarried in this mine in the 1500's for ironworks in north Uppland. The quarrying of feldspar for the porcelain and glass industry started at the end of the 1700's and continued until 1933, when the mine was shut down.

P.S. The name Ytterby is composed from ytter = outer, and by = village, and means 'outer village', probably since it is located on the outermost point of the island of Resarö (see the map).

Further reading:

• Mary Elvira Weeks, Discovery of the Elements, comp. rev. by Heny M. Leicester (Easton, Pa.: Journal of Chemical Education, 1968), pp. 667-699.
• Seltene Erden. Gmelins Handbuch der anorganische Chemie, 8. Aufl.; System-Nummer 39 (1938).
• Vaxholm, a town of islands
• J. Gadolin, "Undersökning af en svart tung Stenart ifrån Ytterby Stenbrott i Roslagen." (Examination of a black, dense mineral from the Ytterby Quarry in Roslagen). K. Vetenskaps-akad. nya handl. vol. 15, 1794, pp. 137-155.