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    Thorium: Crustal Abundance, Joint Production, and Economic Availability

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Jordan, B.
    Eggert, R.
    Dixon, B.
    Carlsen, B.
    Date
    2015
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
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    Citation
    Jordan, B. and Eggert, R. and Dixon, B. and Carlsen, B. 2015. Thorium: Crustal Abundance, Joint Production, and Economic Availability. Resources Policy. 44: pp. 81-93.
    Source Title
    Resources Policy
    DOI
    10.1016/j.resourpol.2015.02.002
    ISSN
    0301-4207
    School
    Curtin Graduate School of Business
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36056
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    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. Environmental concerns, social issues, regulation, and technology also present issues for the medium and long term supply of thorium.

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