What is thorite used for?
Thorite is the most common thorium mineral. Thorium is a highly radioactive element and could be used as a replacement for uranium in nuclear power generation.
Who discovered thorite?
1) was discovered in 1828 by the Swedish chemist Baron Jons Jakob Berzelius in the mineral which is now called thorite.
What is the mineral thorium?
Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive element usually found with other minerals, such as monazite in alkalic igneous deposits and carbonatites. Thorium has a multitude of uses. Moreover, thorium can incinerate weapons-grade plutonium in its fuel cycle, rendering the plutonium unusable as a nuclear weapon.
What type of rock is thorite?
| Thorite | |
|---|---|
| Category | Silicate mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | (Th,U)SiO4 |
| Strunz classification | 9.AD.30 |
| Crystal system | Tetragonal |
Where can you find thorite?
Thorite is mined commercially in the United States at Cripple Creek, Colo., and at Hall Mountain, Idaho. Although the mineral is usually light brown, an orange-yellow gem variety known as orangite occurs in Madagascar.
How is thorite formed?
Specimens of thorite generally come from igneous pegmatites and volcanic extrusive rocks, hydrothermal veins and contact metamorphic rocks. It is also known to occur as small grains in detrital sands. Crystals are rare, but when found can produce nicely shaped short prismatic crystals with pyramidal terminations.
What country has the most thorium?
Australia has the highest thorium resources with 489,000 tons followed by the US with 400,000 tons, Turkey with 344,000 tons and India with 319,000 tons. The remaining resources are found in countries like Venezuela, Brazil, Norway, Egypt, Russia, among others.
What are some compounds made from thorium?
All five chemically characterised pnictogens (nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth) also form compounds with thorium. Three thorium nitrides are known: ThN, Th3N4, and Th2N3. The brass-coloured Th3N4 is most easily produced by heating thorium metal in a nitrogen atmosphere.
How did the mineral thorite get its name?
Thorite is named for its content of the rare element thorium. It is isomorphous with Zircon and occurs in the same crystal habits. Thorite is the most prevalent mineral containing the radioactive element thorium. However, it is not as important as the primary thorium ore, Monazite, since the extraction process…
Where can you find thorite in the world?
Thorite is an important ore of the radioactive element thorium. Thorite is not a common mineral. European localities include Arendal, Langesundfjord, Norway; the Laach Lake Volcanic Complex, Eifel Mountains, Germany; the San Vito Quarry, Monte Somma, Vesuvious, Italy; and Vetralla and Bassano Romano, Viterbo Province, Italy.
Which is the best description of the calcite group?
Calcite Group. Calcite-Rhodochrosite Series. A very common and widespread mineral with highly variable forms and colours. Calcite is best recognized by its relatively low Mohs hardness (3) and its high reactivity with even weak acids, such as vinegar, plus its prominent rhombohedral cleavage in most varieties.
How does radioactivity affect the crystal structure of thorite?
The radioactivity of Thorite often brings it to a state of metamiction, in which its crystal structure becomes unstable thereby causing the crystal edges to become smooth and rounded. When this happens, the Thorite may gain hydroxyl (OH) molecule s in place of the silica (SiO 4) molecules and transform into a different mineral, Thorogummite.