An experimental thorium-based nuclear reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s. (Image Credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory/US DOE)
In 2020, China conducted a national geological survey in 233 thorium-rich zones across the nation, finding an area of interest. Estimates indicate the mining waste at the Bayan Obo mining complex in Inner Mongolia could yield 1 million tonnes of thorium. According to Chinese scientists, this amount of material is sufficient to power the country for 60,000 years.
Thorium is a silver-colored, naturally occurring radioactive element. Using thorium-232 in a nuclear reactor and converting it to uranium-233 could produce more energy per ton compared to uranium fuel, yielding up to 200 times more energy, depending on reactor design and fuel utilization. This also means thorium nuclear plants, which don’t need water cooling, could produce less radioactive waste. Extracting and utilizing thorium could revolutionize nuclear energy technology, offering a more sustainable, cleaner, and safer alternative to uranium.
According to the declassified report published in the Chinese journal Geological Review, mining thorium from an iron ore site for five years could produce sufficient energy to power the U.S. for 1,000 years. In 2018, China began building a thorium-molten salt reactor (TSMR) in the Gobi Desert, completing it in 2021, and it went fully operational last year. The prototype reactor, called TSMR-LF1, produces 2 MW of electricity and demonstrates on-the-fly refueling. China has already broken ground on a larger 10MWe TSMR and will begin construction near Wuwei in Gansu Province. It’s expected to be fully operational by 2030 and produce 10 MW of power.
Extracting thorium from rare earth ores presents some significant challenges. In such a scenario, the process consumes huge amounts of acid and energy, producing substantial quantities of wastewater for every unit of purified thorium. Additionally, some are concerned that thorium by-products could be used as nuclear weapons; with experts suggesting it’s not viable for that purpose.
The thorium study conducted by China aligns with nuclear propulsion technology advancements. Recently, the nation showcased the world’s first thorium-powered nuclear container ship called the KUN-24AP. China also plans to use thorium reactors for bases on the moon, paving the way toward alternative energy solutions.
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