China Discovers Massive Thorium Deposit — Enough Clean Energy for 60,000 Years

China has discovered an enormous thorium reserve—estimated at around 1 million tons—in the Bayan Obo mine in Inner Mongolia. This deposit could potentially provide enough energy to power China for the next 60,000 years.

It is claimed that thorium has 200 times more energy potential and is 500 times more abundant than uranium, though scientists caution these figures may be exaggerated from a purely technical standpoint.

The Technology: Molten Salt Reactor (MSR)

• Uses thorium as fuel
• Located in the Gobi Desert
• Expected to enter commercial operation by 2029

Advantages of Thorium Reactors

• Higher efficiency than conventional uranium reactors
• Lower risk of nuclear accidents
• Produces less radioactive waste
• Considered a cleaner form of nuclear energy

However, despite thorium’s high potential, researchers warn that extraction and commercial-scale development remain major challenges in terms of cost and technology readiness.

Source: Postjung