🇨🇳 China discovers 'limitless' energy source that could power the country for 60,000 years, geologists in Beijing claim. 
China Discovers Massive Thorium Deposits, Potential "Limitless" Energy Source
China has reportedly discovered a vast thorium deposit that could provide enough energy to power the country for 60,000 years, according to a declassified national geological survey. The discovery was made at the Bayan Obo mining complex in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region in northern China, where scientists estimate the site could yield one million tonnes of thorium if fully exploited.
The survey, which identified 233 thorium-rich zones across the country, suggests that thorium resources in China's mining waste remain untouched and could be extracted to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels. Researchers claim that just five years' worth of mining waste from the Bayan Obo iron ore site contains enough thorium to meet U.S. energy demands for over 1,000 years.
Thorium is a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive element that has long been considered a potential alternative to uranium in nuclear reactors. Unlike uranium, thorium is not directly fissile but can be converted into uranium-233, a material capable of sustaining nuclear fission. In a molten-salt reactor (MSR), thorium is mixed with lithium fluoride and heated to 1,400°C (2,550°F), where it undergoes neutron bombardment to initiate a chain reaction. This process is more efficient than conventional uranium reactors, produces significantly less nuclear waste, and reduces the risk of nuclear meltdowns.
China has been investing heavily in thorium-based nuclear technology and has started construction on the world's first thorium molten-salt reactor (TMSR) power station in the Gobi Desert. The facility is expected to generate 10 megawatts of electricity and is projected to be operational by 2029. Beijing has positioned thorium reactors as a key element of its long-term energy independence strategy and a way to reduce reliance on coal and imported fossil fuels.
Thorium is estimated to be 500 times more abundant than uranium-235, the primary fuel used in conventional nuclear reactors. According to the World Nuclear Association, thorium can generate 200 times more energy than uranium, making it a promising alternative for the future of nuclear power. However, experts caution that cost-effective extraction and commercial development of thorium-based reactors remain a challenge.
The discovery comes as China moves forward with its plans to build 24 new nuclear power plants by 2030, further expanding its investment in nuclear energy. As Beijing advances its thorium reactor program, researchers continue to study the potential of thorium as an energy source. A Beijing-based geologist, speaking anonymously, noted that thorium is widely available and suggested that its large-scale use could contribute to long-term energy stability.
China has reportedly discovered a vast thorium deposit that could provide enough energy to power the country for 60,000 years, according to a declassified national geological survey. The discovery was made at the Bayan Obo mining complex in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region in northern China, where scientists estimate the site could yield one million tonnes of thorium if fully exploited.
The survey, which identified 233 thorium-rich zones across the country, suggests that thorium resources in China's mining waste remain untouched and could be extracted to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels. Researchers claim that just five years' worth of mining waste from the Bayan Obo iron ore site contains enough thorium to meet U.S. energy demands for over 1,000 years.
Thorium is a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive element that has long been considered a potential alternative to uranium in nuclear reactors. Unlike uranium, thorium is not directly fissile but can be converted into uranium-233, a material capable of sustaining nuclear fission. In a molten-salt reactor (MSR), thorium is mixed with lithium fluoride and heated to 1,400°C (2,550°F), where it undergoes neutron bombardment to initiate a chain reaction. This process is more efficient than conventional uranium reactors, produces significantly less nuclear waste, and reduces the risk of nuclear meltdowns.
China has been investing heavily in thorium-based nuclear technology and has started construction on the world's first thorium molten-salt reactor (TMSR) power station in the Gobi Desert. The facility is expected to generate 10 megawatts of electricity and is projected to be operational by 2029. Beijing has positioned thorium reactors as a key element of its long-term energy independence strategy and a way to reduce reliance on coal and imported fossil fuels.
Thorium is estimated to be 500 times more abundant than uranium-235, the primary fuel used in conventional nuclear reactors. According to the World Nuclear Association, thorium can generate 200 times more energy than uranium, making it a promising alternative for the future of nuclear power. However, experts caution that cost-effective extraction and commercial development of thorium-based reactors remain a challenge.
The discovery comes as China moves forward with its plans to build 24 new nuclear power plants by 2030, further expanding its investment in nuclear energy. As Beijing advances its thorium reactor program, researchers continue to study the potential of thorium as an energy source. A Beijing-based geologist, speaking anonymously, noted that thorium is widely available and suggested that its large-scale use could contribute to long-term energy stability.
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