146Nd

146Nd is a stable isotope of the element neodymium (Nd), with atomic number 60 and a mass number of 146. It consists of 60 protons and 86 neutrons. As one of the naturally occurring neodymium isotopes, 146Nd is present in Earth's crust as part of natural neodymium.

In terms of nuclear properties, 146Nd is an even-even nucleus, and its ground-state spin is expected to be 0+. It does not undergo radioactive decay, which classifies it as a stable isotope. The isotope contributes to the overall isotopic composition of neodymium found in minerals such as monazite and bastnasite, which are common sources of Nd for industrial and scientific uses.

Natural abundance estimates place 146Nd at roughly around 17% of natural neodymium, making it one of the more common Nd isotopes alongside others such as 142Nd, 143Nd, 144Nd, 145Nd, 148Nd, and 150Nd. The precise abundances vary slightly by sample, but 146Nd is consistently a major constituent of natural Nd.

Applications and significance include its role in Nd isotopic studies used in geochemistry and cosmochemistry. Neodymium isotopes, including 146Nd, are used to understand geological differentiation, crust–mantle evolution, and the long-term evolution of mantle reservoirs. Although the short-lived 146Sm decays to 142Nd and informs early solar system chronology, 146Nd itself remains stable and serves as a baseline component of natural Nd isotopic systems. Related isotopes of interest in Nd chemistry and dating include 142Nd, 143Nd, 144Nd, 145Nd, 148Nd, and 150Nd.