Re: Use of unsealed thorium

[Dick King <king@ukulele.reasoning.com>]

>> 
>> Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 14:27:12 -0400
>> From: Ccja@aol.com
>> Subject: Re: Use of unsealed thorium
>> 
>> I should have said that probably the best unknown use of Th, for the average
>> consumer, is as mantles for (Coleman) gas lanterns. I've used these, in the
>> plastic envelopes in which they're sold, as check sources for alpha
>> scintillometers. They don't come any cheaper, or more rugged, and there are
>> no licensing headaches.
>> Anyone, of course, can buy one in any Army/Navy or camping store, take it
>> home, and, more than likely, burn it down inside their tent. Here note that
>> the inhalation ALI for Th-232 (Class Y) is 0.003 uCi, where that for Pu-239,
>> which gets all of the press, is 0.02! Go figure.

I think that the thorated mantles are no longer sold, or at least no longer the
norm.

If you have some that you use for testing purposes, save them for that and use
new mantles in your lanterns.  Don't assume you will always be able to buy more
thorated lantern mantles.

-dk