(Thor, Scandinavian god of war) Discovered by Berzelius in 1828. Found in thorite and thorianite in New England and other sites. Recovered commercially from monazite. More abundant and greater energy source than uranium. Several plans underway to use thorium as a source of nuclear energy. Most of the internal heat of the earth is due to the presence of thorium and uranium.
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rare earth metal, radioactive, silvery-white, stable in air, slowly tarnishes to gray, soft, ductile, 2 allotropic forms, 13 isotopes, when heated in air it turns bright and gives off white light
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alloying with magnesium, source of nuclear energy, camera lenses, wire coating in electrical equipment, scientific instruments