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thorite

thorite

9.9
A rare mineral that has thorium, gives off radiation, and is found in granite
  • noun
  • /ˈθɔːraɪt/
  • Specialized
: torita
  • Thorite is a rare mineral that is often found in coarse granite and is valued as a source of thorium.

Examples

  • Geologists have identified thorite deposits in various locations, making it an important mineral for studying granite formations.

  • Researchers discovered that thorite can be used effectively in nuclear energy applications due to its radioactive properties.

  • And another graduate student and I, Mark Taylor, we refine the structures of of Thorite and Huttonite and published it.

Surface Forms

thorite singular
thorites plural

Morphology

thorite = thorium (transparent) = thorium + ite

Formed by adding the mineral-forming suffix '-ite' to 'thorium', so the meaning 'a mineral containing thorium' is directly deducible.

Etymology

Thorite comes from thorium (which was named for the Norse god Thor) plus the mineral ending -ite, which you can remember as 'stone' or 'rock' used in many mineral names. So, thorite is basically a 'thorium stone', a mineral known for its thorium content.