More Telluric fun

[David Casseres]

Sojourner reports on tellurium (Te)

>Chemicals: 
>
>15% of demand. As a secondary vulcanizing agent for rubber, an
>accelerator in processing rubber to retain flexibility at elevated
>temperatures. A
>component of catalysts for synthetic fiber intermediates and for chemicals

Among the mental pocket-lint I have left over from college chemistry: 
tellurium is related to sulfur and forms some similar compounds -- 
notably H2Te, which corresponds to H2S or hydrogen sulfide, the gas that 
give rotten eggs their stench.  But hydrogen telluride stinks much worse!


Cheers,
David