Thorium
钍
Thorium is found in nature in the form of the oxide thorite, ThO2, which forms crystals as thorianite . It appears in the form of thorium phosphate in monazite sand. Thorium is found in the mineral aeschynite and euxenite.
钍在自然界中以氧化物钍石（ThO₂）的形式存在，形成钍石英。它以磷酸钍的形式出现在独居石砂中。钍也存在于矿物 aeschynite 和 euxenite 中。
Thorium has been used in the manufacture of mantles for gas lanterns. The fabric of the mantles is saturated with thorium nitrate and cerium nitrate. The burning of the mantles leaves a residue of thorium and cerium dioxides. This residue glows with a brilliant white luminescence when heated to a high temperature by the gas flame. The presence of the thorium makes these mantles slightly radioactive, so recent mantles have replaced these oxides with other illuminants.
钍曾用于制造气体灯的灯罩。灯罩的织物被饱和了硝酸钍和硝酸铈。灯罩燃烧后留下钍和铈的氧化物残渣。当高温气体火焰加热时，这些残渣会发出明亮的白光。由于含有钍，这些灯罩略带放射性，因此最近的灯罩已用其他照明剂替代了这些氧化物。
Thorium-232 is one of the small number of isotopes which can be made to undergo nuclear fission, so it could be employed as a nuclear fuel.
钍-232是少数几种可以发生核裂变的同位素之一，因此可以被用作核燃料。
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