A mineral that scientists are still working to fully decode may hold the key to a new green revolution — starting with the electric vehicle industry.
Kryptonite is famously known as Superman’s Achilles’ heel: the only material in the universe that can strip him of his superpowers. Originating from Krypton, Superman’s home planet, the glowing green substance emits a unique, toxic radiation that can weaken or even kill him. Of course, kryptonite is pure science fiction, a creation of comic books and Hollywood.
But researchers at London’s Natural History Museum believe a real-world version could deliver remarkable benefits here on Earth. Unlike its fictional counterpart, this mineral — called jadarite — is white, powdery, non-radioactive, and comes not from outer space but from Serbia.
Jadarite was first discovered in Serbia in 2004 by the mining company Rio Tinto. At first, even geologists were puzzled by its composition. Three years later, it was officially described by a team that included Natural History Museum scientists Chris Stanley and Mike Rumsey.
When they compared it to a database of all known minerals at the time, they were astonished to find it was entirely unique. Even more surprising: its chemical formula was strikingly similar (though not identical) to the fictional formula invented for kryptonite in the 2006 film Superman Returns. In the movie, the fake formula — “sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide with fluorine” — appears on a kryptonite case stolen by Superman’s arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor.
This uncanny coincidence grabbed headlines back in 2007, but nearly two decades later, jadarite’s real potential is only now coming into focus.
What Makes Jadarite So Special?
Curiously, jadarite has so far been found in only one place on Earth: the Jadar Basin in Serbia, which gave the mineral its name. But there’s a silver lining: the deposit is vast enough that if mined, it could power a green transformation on a massive scale.
Scientists describe jadarite as forming in “layered cakes of materials that combine in a precise sequence.” This rare but promising lithium-bearing mineral could soon fuel Europe’s leap into a new era of electric vehicles, as traditional combustion engines are replaced by batteries.
“If mined, jadarite has enormous potential,” says Dr. Robin Armstrong, a geologist at the Natural History Museum in London.
Jadarite is rich in both boron and lithium — elements that are relatively rare and highly valuable to modern industries. Boron is used in fertilizers, heat-resistant glass for smartphones, and materials for wind turbines and solar panels. Meanwhile, lithium is a critical component in lithium-ion batteries that power electric cars.
According to researchers publishing in Nature Geoscience, if the jadarite in Serbia’s Jadar Basin is fully extracted, it could supply enough lithium to power up to 90% of Europe’s electric vehicles.
