Mighty Thorium Traditional Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Thorium
Thorium is a natural radioactive chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. It was discovered in 1828 and named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder.In nature, virtually all thorium is found as thorium-232, and it decays by emitting an alpha particle, and has a half-life of about 14.05 billion years (other, trace-level isotopes of thorium are short-lived intermediates of decay chains). It is estimated to be about four times more abundant than uranium in the Earth's crust and is a by-product of the extraction of rare earths from monazite sands. Thorium was formerly used commonly as (for example) the light source in gas mantles and as an alloying material, but these applications have declined due to concerns about its radioactivity. Canada, Germany, India, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States have used thorium in various experimental and power reactors as fuel.[2] There is a growing interest in developing thorium fuel cycle for various reasons, including its safety benefits, its high absolute abundance and relative abundance compared to uranium.[2] India's three stage nuclear power programme is an example of such efforts.
This can be used to qualify for Boreal Walker's Periodic Table of Elements Challenge
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)