Unites States is not a producer of thorium now.
For example a thorium isotope is Th-231 or 23190 Th.
When uranium radiates alpha particles, it transforms into thorium. Thorium is a radioactive element that is produced as a result of the decay of uranium through alpha emission.
Thorium-232 is typically indicated with the notation "Th-232."
United States has thorium reserves of approx. 160 000 t.
Today any thorium reactor exist in USA.
Isotopes of radon (Rn)
Thorium can be strip mined and it could be deep mined. It is be produced as a byproduct of the production of rare earth elements, and since the current production as a byproduct far exceeds the demand, it is not usually mined.
When uranium undergoes alpha decay, it emits an alpha particle (which consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons) and transforms into thorium. The mass of the thorium produced can be determined by subtracting the mass of the emitted alpha particle from the original mass of the uranium nuclide. The specific mass of thorium will depend on the isotope of uranium that is decaying, but it generally corresponds to the mass number of the uranium minus 4 (for the alpha particle).
Ah, thorium, what a peaceful element. How about a slogan like "Thorium, a gentle giant in the world of atoms" to remind us of its quiet strength and potential for good? Just like painting a happy little tree, let's embrace thorium with positivity and creativity.
Common compounds of thorium: thorium dioxide, thorium trifluoride, thorium tetrafluoride, thorium tetrachloride, thorium triiodide, thorium diiodide, thorium tetraiodide, thorium nitrate, thorium oxalate, thorium carbide, thorium sulfides, thorium nitride, thorium oxinate, etc.
Francium is a naturally occurring radioactive element that is produced as a decay product of uranium and thorium. It is found in tiny amounts in uranium and thorium ores. Francium was first discovered in 1939 by Marguerite Perey in France.
When uranium undergoes alpha decay, it emits an alpha particle (which is equivalent to a helium nucleus, ( ^4_2He )), resulting in a decrease of its atomic number by 2 and its mass number by 4. For example, if uranium-238 (( ^{238}{92}U )) undergoes alpha decay, it transforms into thorium-234 (( ^{234}{90}Th )). Thus, the notation for the thorium isotope produced is ( ^{234}_{90}Th ).