NUCLEAR MINERALS

NUCLEAR MINERALS Heavy metals; such uranium, thorium, radium, plutonium and lithium, are sources of nuclear energy. Uranium is the most impot1 among these metals. The main ores of uranium
pitchblende, uranite, samarskite and thorianite. The US, the leading producer of uranium. South Africa, Austrc Canada, Niger and France are other important produc Colorado, Utah and New Mexico in the USA are important areas of uranium deposits. Australia's import uranium areas are Port Darwin, the Rum Jangle and Radium Hill. The Rand and the Massef Central h significant uranium deposits in South Africa and Fra respectively. Cornwell in England and Katanga in Republic of Congo also possess some uranium.

As compared to uranium, the geographical distribut of thorium is much more restricted. Main ores of thori are monazite, allanite and thorianite. The largest depo of monazite are in India. Florida coast and Idaho in USA and coastal areas of South Africa also have thori deposits.

Beryllium (obtained from beryl, which is found association with feldspar and mica in pegmatites), zir nium (found in zircon in beach sands) and ilimenite (foll in the concentrated form in the beach sands) are otl important nuclear minerals.