Columbite (mineral group)

Columbite (mineral group), which contains thorium and uranium, is radioactive and can exhibit varying levels of radioactivity depending on the concentration of radioactive elements. It's recommended to use a Geiger counter to measure radiation levels before handling, wear a mask to avoid inhaling radioactive dust, and wash hands thoroughly afterward. Store it in a sealed box in a well-ventilated area away from people.

Columbite contains varying amounts of thorium and uranium, which makes it radioactive to various degrees.

Columbite (mineral group) is the primary source of niobium, which is used by the metal industry to improve the strength of alloys such as stainless steel. These alloys are used for products such as jet engines, oil rigs, and gas pipelines. Niobium is also used in MRI scanners, NMR machines, and particle accelerators due to its superconductive properties.

The occurrence of columbite in the United States was made known from a specimen presumably stemming from John Winthrop (1606–1676), first Governor of the Connecticut Colony and avid mineral collector. Amidst 600 other samples, it was donated by his namesake and grandson, John Winthrop (1681–1747) to Hans Sloane, President of the Royal Society of London, upon becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1737. In 1801 Charles Hatchett discovered the element niobium in this specimen, which he named columbium in honour of explorer Christopher Columbus.