Geologists in Beijing have discovered vast thorium reserves in the Bayan Obo mining complex, potentially supplying China's energy needs for 60,000 years. Valorizing this slightly radioactive element could facilitate the use of molten-salt reactors, which promise abundant energy production. A recent survey revealed that thorium-rich mining waste in Inner Mongolia, if fully exploited, could replace fossil fuels globally. The identification of 233 thorium zones further suggests reserves in China may be far greater than previously estimated. With thorium being 500 times more plentiful than uranium-232, it presents a compelling alternative for nuclear energy development amidst a burgeoning global nuclear race.
"The Bayan Obo mining complex could contain enough thorium to supply China's household energy demands 'almost forever', according to a national survey."
"Researchers allege that five years' worth of mining waste from an iron ore site in Inner Mongolia contains enough thorium to meet American energy demands for over 1,000 years."
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