What is the element thallium used for?

Element Thallium (Tl), Group 13, Atomic Number 81, p-block, Mass 204.38. Sources, facts, uses, scarcity (SRI), podcasts, alchemical symbols, videos and images. read more

The use of thallium is limited as it is a toxic element. Thallium sulfate was employed as a rodent killer – it is odourless and tasteless – but household use of this poison has been prohibited in most developed countries. read more

Thallium sulfide is used in photocells because its electrical conductivity increases on exposure to infrared light. Thallium oxide is used to make glass that has a high index of refraction. Thallium is also used in gamma radiation detection equipment. read more

Although thallium is a modestly abundant element in the Earth's crust, with a concentration estimated to be about 0.7 mg/kg, mostly in association with potassium-based minerals in clays, soils, and granites, thallium is not generally economically recoverable from these sources. read more