s−d-band conductivity in liquid La

The electrical conductivity of liquid La is computed numerically from a linear combination of atomic orbitals description of a cluster of 364 atoms. Contrary to an earlier suggestion that the conduction should be mainly due to $s$ states, we find that the $d$ states are dominant. Although the diffusivity of $s$ states is about 2.5 times greater than that of $d$ states, the density of $d$ states is so much greater than the density of $s$ states that the conduction is mainly by $d$ states.