DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Thorium: Crustal abundance, joint production, and economic availability

Abstract

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.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [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)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1248172
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1249569
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU-14-33388
Journal ID: ISSN 0301-4207; PII: S0301420715000185
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC07-05ID14517
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Resources Policy
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 44; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0301-4207
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; thorium availability; thorium costs; availability; thorium; joint production; cumulative availability curve; mine cost curve

Citation Formats

Jordan, Brett W., Eggert, Roderick G., Dixon, Brent W., and Carlsen, Brett W. Thorium: Crustal abundance, joint production, and economic availability. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2015.02.002.
Jordan, Brett W., Eggert, Roderick G., Dixon, Brent W., & Carlsen, Brett W. Thorium: Crustal abundance, joint production, and economic availability. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2015.02.002
Jordan, Brett W., Eggert, Roderick G., Dixon, Brent W., and Carlsen, Brett W. Mon . "Thorium: Crustal abundance, joint production, and economic availability". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2015.02.002. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1248172.
@article{osti_1248172,
title = {Thorium: Crustal abundance, joint production, and economic availability},
author = {Jordan, Brett W. and Eggert, Roderick G. and Dixon, Brent W. and Carlsen, Brett W.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1016/j.resourpol.2015.02.002},
journal = {Resources Policy},
number = C,
volume = 44,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Mar 02 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Mar 02 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Beneficiation of Rare Earth Oxide Minerals
journal, January 1991


Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors
journal, January 2010


Magnetic Separation of Monazite and Xenotime
journal, January 1991


World literature on thorium research: A scientometric study based on Science Citation Index
journal, November 2006


Re-examining uranium supply and demand: New insights
journal, January 2011


What is the potential use of thorium in the future energy production technology?
journal, January 2000


Thorium deposits of the United States — Energy resources for the future?
report, January 2009

  • Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Gillerman, Virginia S.; Armbrustmacher, Theodore J.
  • DOI: 10.3133/cir1336

Using the cumulative availability curve to assess the threat of mineral depletion: The case of lithium
journal, December 2009


Economics of large-scale thorium oxide production: assessment of domestic resources
report, February 1980


Works referencing / citing this record:

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

  • Abdel-Rahman, Mona; Rezk, Mohamed M.; Ahmed-Farid, Omar A.
  • Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 27, Issue 12
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-07917-y