JBCS

A celebration of the sesquicentennial of the Periodic Table of the Elements, from the origins to the 63 elements in Mendeleev's table and its evolution to the present 118-element table.

The importance of the steel for the industrial development of a country makes the iron ore extraction strategic. Brazil is one of the largest iron producers in the world and an approach for the sustainable prosperity of the region is required.

The mineral exploration and processing of copper, the structure of the chemical element and its inorganic aspects and uses are described. The importance of the copper element in biological systems and organic reactions are exemplified.

This review presents a general view of the scientific and technological aspects of Indium and the economic importance regarding the evolution of its applications in our way of life.

Manganese: a relevant mineral resource of Brazil from the end of the XIX^th century.

Niobium compounds can be transformed into materials with high added value bringing wealth and reducing Brazil's prowess.

Tin has found applications in the most diverse human activities and in different eras. Its strategic significance is suported by archaeological, historical and technological evidences.

A promising strategy towards a more sustainable economy is to increase the synergy between the uses of biomass for food, energy and industrial raw materials production. This depends critically on higher productivity brought by NPK fertilizers.

We provide a short discussion about the historical path of the rare earths in the Periodic Table and exploration of these resources in Brazil, detailing some of the extractive activities since the 19^th century and some prospects for the use of these elements in different fields.

The paper highlights the importance of four sp²-based elemental carbon structures, namely graphite, carbon black, carbon nanotubes and graphene, in the economical, industrial and scientific sovereignty of Brazil.