Chinese scientists have discovered a huge reserve of thorium, estimated at approximately one million tons, in the Bayan Obo mining area of Inner Mongolia in a breakthrough that is set to transform the industry. This find is estimated to be worth 178 billion dollars, which could change the energy strategies of the world. Analysts estimate that this amount of thorium is enough to supply the energy needs of China alone for up to 60,000 years, which makes it practically an unlimited fuel supply.
Thorium is a lesser-known alternative to uranium and has major benefits in terms of safety and sustainability. Although it is not fissile, it can be transformed into uranium-232 and utilized in special reactors. Thorium waste does not take as long to decay as uranium-235, and only a few hundred years of radioactivity are left, which makes the long-term environmental risks a fraction of those of uranium-235. This qualifies it as an attractive option in the future of nuclear energy.
One of the geologists in Beijing said, “Countries have been waging wars over oil and gas, yet we have had a clean energy source under our feet all this time.” There are already more than 230 sites of thorium-rich deposits in China, and the real reserves could be much higher than the estimates show.
China is also investing in solar mega-projects, AI, quantum computing, and nuclear fusion at the same time, which shows its dedication to energy innovation. The country is creating a carbon-free future through a diversified approach, with 250-mile-long solar installations and next-gen thorium reactor designs, among others, by the year 2035.
In spite of the promise of thorium, there are challenges. Issues of environmental protection, such as pollution and radiation related to mining activities, should be dealt with using high standards of protection. However, Chinese engineers are working on safer and more efficient reactor technology to exploit the full potential of thorium.
With success, thorium reactors would establish new standards all over the world, and China would be the first exporter of such advanced technologies. With the world struggling to deal with climate change and energy insecurity, the breakthrough with thorium in China is a daring venture towards sustainable long-term power, redefining not only national strategy but perhaps the future of energy in the world.
