Is thorium found in yellow sand?

Answer 1

Thorium is typically found only in dark-colored heavy-mineral sands. Mineral bearing sand is classified by specific gravity as either light or heavy, with heavy mineral sands having a specific gravity of greater than 2.9. Many of the heavy mineral sands are dark colored and include ilmenite, rutile, magnetite, sphene, and garnet. Thorium is found primarily in the heavy mineral. monazite, which is ofter yellowish-brown or greenish- brown. A minor amount of thorium may also be in the heavy mineral, zircon, which is often white of yellowish in color. Because monazite and zircon are heavy minerals and are generally less abundant than ilmenite in a deposit, they are typically found in the zones of dark or black colored minerals. It is possible for thorium-bearing minerals to be distributed throughout a light-colored sand.

Answer 2

Thorium is not typically found in significant quantities in yellow sand. The composition of yellow sand varies, but it is typically composed of small particles of quartz, feldspar, and other minerals. Thorium is a radioactive element that is more commonly found in certain types of rocks such as monazite and thorianite.