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Thorium: Crustal abundance, joint production, and economic availability

Journal Article · · Resources Policy
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [2]
  1. Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
  2. Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
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Recently, interest in thorium's potential use in a nuclear fuel cycle has been renewed. Thorium is more abundant, at least on average, than uranium in the earth's crust and, therefore, could theoretically extend the use of nuclear energy technology beyond the economic limits of uranium resources. This paper provides an economic assessment of thorium availability by creating cumulative-availability and potential mining-industry cost curves, based on known thorium resources. These tools provide two perspectives on the economic availability of thorium. In the long term, physical quantities of thorium likely will not be a constraint on the development of a thorium fuel cycle. In the medium term, however, thorium supply may be limited by constraints associated with its production as a by-product of rare earth elements and heavy mineral sands. As a result, environmental concerns, social issues, regulation, and technology also present issues for the medium and long term supply of thorium.
Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
1248172
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1249569
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU--14-33388; PII: S0301420715000185
Journal Information:
Resources Policy, Journal Name: Resources Policy Journal Issue: C Vol. 44; ISSN 0301-4207
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (10)

World literature on thorium research: A scientometric study based on Science Citation Index journal November 2006
What is the potential use of thorium in the future energy production technology? journal January 2000
Re-examining uranium supply and demand: New insights journal January 2011
Using the cumulative availability curve to assess the threat of mineral depletion: The case of lithium journal December 2009
Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors journal January 2010
Economics of large-scale thorium oxide production: assessment of domestic resources report February 1980
Thorium deposits of the United States — Energy resources for the future? report January 2009
The principal rare earth elements deposits of the United States: A summary of domestic deposits and a global perspective report January 2010
Beneficiation of Rare Earth Oxide Minerals journal January 1991
Magnetic Separation of Monazite and Xenotime journal January 1991

Cited By (1)

Saussurea lappa root extract ameliorates the hazards effect of thorium induced oxidative stress and neuroendocrine alterations in adult male rats journal February 2020

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Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
availability
cumulative availability curve
joint production
mine cost curve
thorium
thorium availability
thorium costs