Is Neptunium found in nature or only in a step in plutonium production?

Question

U-235 undergoes fission with slow neutrons,these join the nucleus of U-238 to form neptunium,which in turn decays by beta emission to form uranium.But I want to know if neptunium is found as a stand alone element in nature.

Answer 1

U-235 undergoes fission with slow neutrons,these join the nucleus of U-238 to form neptunium,which in turn decays by beta emission to form uranium.But I want to know if neptunium is found as a stand alone element in nature.


A small correction. Neptunium dcays through beta emission to form plutonium, not uranium. No, neptunium is not found in nature. It is the first of the trans-uranium elements. Uranium is the last of the naturally occuring elements.

Answer 2

Trace amounts of neptunium are found naturally as decay products from transmutation reactions in uranium ores.

Its most stable isotope, Np-237, is a by-product of nuclear reactors and plutonium production and it can be used as a component in neutron detection equipment.

Answer 3

only uranium and plutonium are the only natural elements tht emit radioactive rays naturally.

all other natural radioactive elements are formed by these two elements.