In the northwestern part of Czechoslovakia, near the German border, there is a low mountain range, the Erzgebirge: the ore mountains. In 1516a rich silver lode was discovered in an area of that range named Joachimsthal (St. Joachim's dale). In 1519 coins were first struck from the silver. The name for the new coins, Joachimsthaler, was shortened to thaler, and then became "dollar" in English before 1600.

In addition to silver, the Joachimsthal mines yielded many unusual ores including a heavy black ore named pitchblende. In 1789 a German chemist, Martin Klaproth, succeeded in extracting a grayish metallic material from the pitchblende. To honor the discovery of a new planet eight years before, Uranus, Klaproth named his new metal uranium. Uranium was used as a coloring agent in ceramic glazes. A century later Marie and Pierre Curie separated from the same Joachimsthal pitchblende new elements they named radium and polonium.

In the summer of 1921, a wealthy seventeen-year-old American student and rock collector made his way to Joachimsthal on an amateur prospecting trip. He was fascinated with the crystals, structures, and strange characteristics of the minerals he found there. He later became a physicist. Robert Oppenheimer went on to head the Manhattan Project.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), May 31, 2001

Answers

Capn,

How do you know such esoterica? Why should we believe you? This sounds like a tall Tennessee tale to me.

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), May 31, 2001.

In the year 2001, a us pResident climbled Moro Rock. Seeing that this was good, locals renamed the scared chunk of granite MoroN Rock in honor of this pioneer. Folks today know this chap as plain "w". A nickname derived from the fact the fella was a major wanker.

-- historychannel (pas@fortheeasilyamused.com), May 31, 2001.

Lars,

I don't *know* such esoterica,it was sent via an email.I thought it was an interesting factoid,though it could be fiction,I can see no reason why it would be just conjured up dis-information.

As far as tall Tennessee tales go,they are all true : )

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), May 31, 2001.

A likely story

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), May 31, 2001.