Question

Pitch-blende is the source of some metals. Find the total number of such metals among these: $\mathrm{Hg},\mathrm{Ra},\mathrm{U},\mathrm{Th},\mathrm{Zn},\mathrm{Tc}$

Answer 1

The total number of metals obtained from Pitch-Blende:

• Pitch blende is also called uraninite. It is a mineral of uranium-containing ${\mathrm{UO}}_2$ and${\mathrm{UO}}_3$.
• It is our primary source of uranium and the mineral is black in colour, like 'pitch'.
• The term 'blende' came from the German miners who believed it contained many different metals all blended together.
• Pitchblende also contains Helium, Lead, Radium, Thorium, Actinide elements, and many other radioactive elements that can be traced back to the decay of Uranium.
• Of the given metals, Pitch-blende include $\mathrm{U},\mathrm{Ra},\mathrm{Th}$.

Therefore, the total number of metals present in pitchblende is 3 $\left(\mathrm{U},\mathrm{Ra},\mathrm{Th}\right)$.