Silicon (Si)
Impure amorphous silicon was prepared in 1811 and purified in 1824. Crystalline silicon, the second allotropic form of the element, was first prepared in 1854.
Crystalline silicon is grayish with a metallic luster. Although relatively inert, it is affected by halogens and dilute alkali and unaffected by most acids.
Silicon is present in the sun and stars and in meteorites known as aerolites. It is not found free naturally, but is usually in the form of the oxide and silicates. Look for silicon in sand, quartz, rock crystal, amethyst, agate, flint, jasper, opal, granite, hornblende, asbestos, feldspar, clay, mica, and other minerals.