Mineral with the chemical formula of kryptonite is found

The fictional mineral kryptonite that robs Superman of his powers has a real-life counterpart, scientists have discovered.

When the Natural History Museums mineral expert, Dr Chris Stanley, was called upon to help a mining group working in Serbia identify an unusual mineral, he was shocked to find that its unique chemical formula, sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide, had already been classified in fiction.

In the 2006 film Superman Returns, our heros nemesis Lex Luther steals a rock containing green kryptonite from a museum. The rocks case displays the devastating substances chemical formula: sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide with fluorine.

The new mineral does not contain fluorine and is white rather than green, but in all other respects, the chemistry matches that for the rock containing kryptonite, says Dr Stanley.

The kryptonite will formally be named jadarite and could be used as a source of lithium, which has many uses including in batteries, or as a source of borate, which is used for cleaning.

Dr Stanley says he will take the necessary precautions with the mineral. We will have to be careful with it we wouldn't want to deprive Earth of its most famous superhero!