THORIUM

Th. Atomic Weight 232.4. A metallic element belonging to the Titanium group. It was first di covered by Berzelius in 1828 in a mineral found in the island of Lovon, in Norway. It has also been found in thorianite, @ Mineral occurring in Ceylon, in monawegian granite. The metal has the color of nickel, a specific gravity of 11.0 and a very high melting point. When heated in air it takes fire and burns with a luminous flame. It di olves readily in aqua regia, is not attacked by alkaline solutions, but is slowly di olved by hydrochloric acid. The oxide, thoria, has been largely used in the manufacture of incandescent mantles. Thorium po e es radio-active properties.