In an exciting new development, scientists in Beijing have found a large energy source that might be able to power China for an incredible 60,000 years.
This discovery is focused on big thorium deposits at the Bayan Obo mining site in Inner Mongolia, which has caught a lot of attention online.
A report from a recently released national survey showed that the Bayan Obo area contains about 1 million tons of thorium, a slightly radioactive metal that is considered to have great energy potential.
Scientists say that if we can use this resource fully, it could supply enough energy for Chinese homes “almost forever.”
This news supports China’s goal of becoming energy independent, which was highlighted last year when the country approved the world’s first thorium molten-salt reactor (TMSR) in the Gobi Desert, expected to be operational by 2029.
Thorium is a silver-coloured element that could be a cleaner and more efficient option compared to traditional nuclear fuels like uranium.
Experts point out that reactors using thorium produce very little long-lasting radioactive waste and do not need water cooling, making them safer and more sustainable.
A geologist from Beijing, who wished to remain anonymous, shared their thoughts with The South China Post: “For many years, countries have gone to war over fossil fuels. It looks like the endless energy source is right beneath us—every country has thorium.”
The scientist imagined a future where small thorium reactors could power cargo ships for years without needing to refuel, a concept that is becoming popular on social media.
The size of this discovery is impressive. Researchers say that just five years of mining waste from Bayan Obo’s iron ore operations could provide enough thorium to meet U.S. energy needs for over 1,000 years, suggesting there are many more reserves yet to be found worldwide.
Fan Honghai, the lead researcher from the National Key Laboratory of Uranium Resource Exploration in Beijing, called the thorium in mining waste “totally untouched,” viewing it as a resource that could help stop global dependence on fossil fuels if we can work through the challenges of extracting it.
However, there are some challenges to consider. Getting thorium out of the ground requires a lot of energy and acid, which raises questions about the environment and logistics that people are discussing online.
On social media, users are asking whether this is really possible, with one post saying, “#ThoriumEnergy sounds great, but can China really do this without harming the planet?”
