An example of an alternative conception in public science discourse:
"…Barroso is sitting on vast reserves of something which the mining industry badly wants. Not gold, not diamonds, not even oil. The miners are looking for the lightest metal on earth, lighter in fact than air, lithium."
Journalist Misha Glenny narrating an episode ('The Hidden Paradox') of the BBC Radio 4 series 'The Scramble for Rare Earths'.
Read "Lithium: a rare earth metal that is lighter than air?"
Read about the nature of alternative conceptions
Read about some examples of science misconceptions
Read about historical scientific conceptions
This seems to be an example of confusing the atomic properties of elements with the bulk properties of materials (a 'micro-macro confusion').
Read about macro-micro confusions
