Introduction to the Actinides

The following sections are included:

• Actinide Series

  • History

  • Basic physical and chemical properties

  • History of using actinide-containing materials

  • High toxicity and long-lived radioactivity

  • Need for actinide immobilization

• Natural Actinides and Minerals

  • Uraninite, pitchblende and thorianite

  • Coffinite and thorite

  • Brannerite

  • Miscellaneous

• Artificial Actinides

  • Actinide production in the nuclear fuel cycle

  • Weapons-grade plutonium

  • Minor actinides

    • Neptunium-237

    • Americium

    • Curium

    • Berkelium and Californium

• Actinide Host-Phases

  • Natural accessory minerals

  • Zircon and hafnon

  • Monazite

  • Zirconolite

  • Baddeleyite (monoclinic zirconia)

  • Tazheranite (cubic zirconia)

  • Xenotime

  • Apatite

  • Pyrochlore

  • Perovskite

  • Garnet

  • Murataite

  • Kosnarite

  • Natural gels

• References