Natural occurrence

Natural occurrence is a classification of the elements of the periodic table according to naturally existing stable, radioactive or only synthetically produced nuclides.

primordial

Primordial elements have at least one naturally occurring stable nuclide. They existed before human intervention in nature.

Decay product

Elements exist independently of human intervention only through the radioactive decay of others. They do not have a stable nuclide.

synthetic

Synthetic elements do not occur in nature. They must be produced under laboratory conditions and sometimes at great expense.