China has found large quantities of thorium, a rare earth mineral that could be harnessed for energy production.
The large quantities of thorium discovered in the Bayan Obo mining complex in the Inner Mongolia could give the country energy for thousands of years.
The thorium found in China is a slightly radioactive element which can be used to produce cleaner energy.
Scientists estimate that the Chinese thorium mining site could yield 1 million tonnes of thorium at full exploration, South China Morning Post reports.
If fully harnessed, China could use the thorium to power the country for 60,000 years.
According to the study by scientists, there are at least 233 thorium-rich zones across the country, and they remain largely untouched.
A geologist who spoke to SCMP on the condition of anonymity said:
“For over a century, nations have been engaging in wars over fossil fuels. It turns out the endless energy source lies right under our feet.”
China has already started building the world’s first-ever thorium molten-salt reactor (TMSR) plant in the Gobi Desert, where the element would be harnessed into electricity. This is expected to generate 10 megawatts of electricity.
SCMP reports:
“China could be sitting on top of enough thorium to power its energy needs almost forever, a national survey has revealed. This one radioactive metal alone could revolutionise global energy production, ending the worldwide dependence on fossil fuels, an expert has said.”
However, the downside is that mining thorium could be highly expensive as it requires a lot of investment in state-of-the-art facilities.
According to Discovery Alert:
“One of the foremost challenges lies in the extraction and processing of thorium. The complex nature of mining and refining thorium requires state-of-the-art technology and significant capital investment. Economic feasibility, along with ensuring environmental sustainability, remains a crucial concern.
