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thorianite

[ thawr-ee-uh-nahyt, thohr- ]

noun

  1. a rare mineral, mainly thoria, ThO 2 , but also containing uranium, cerium, and other rare-earth metals, occurring in small, black, cubic crystals: notable for its radioactivity and used as a minor source of thorium.


thorianite

/ ˈθɔːrɪəˌnaɪt /

noun

  1. a rare black mineral consisting of thorium and uranium oxides. Formula: ThO 2 .U 3 O 8
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of thorianite1

1900–05; thorian ( thori(a) + -an ) + -ite 1
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Example Sentences

Yet another was "nipponium", extracted by a Japanese researcher in 1908 from the rare mineral, thorianite.

From BBC

Much the best practical source of helium is thorianite, a mineral imported from Ceylon for the manufacture of thoria.

If thorianite cannot be obtained, monazite, which is more abundant, may be utilized.

Thorianite, however, contains no silica, and until it is shown that metallic oxides behave in the same way this explanation must be accepted with reserve.

The richest known source is thorianite, which consists mainly of thorium oxide, and contains 9.5 cc. of helium per gram.

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thoriathorite