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In the current context of the search for clean energy, a discovery could transform the global balance irreversibly. It refers to a natural resource that has impressive energy potential, reaching such a magnitude that it is considered more valuable than gold because of its ability to generate electricity for millennia.
The discovery not only has economic implications; it also establishes a single nation as the possible owner of the key to the energy future. According to specialists, this mineral could secure a practically inexhaustible source of energy, altering the geopolitical map in the coming decades.
What mineral was discovered and why is it more valuable than gold?
The discovered resource is thorium, a silvery metal that has the ability to generate up to 200 times more energy than uranium. In contrast to the latter, thorium molten-salt reactors are smaller in size, do not require water for cooling, pose no risk of meltdown, and produce a smaller amount of long-lived radioactive waste.
China, which was already positioned as the country with the largest reserves, has confirmed that exclusively in the Bayan Obo mine, in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia, there could be up to one million tons of thorium. This amount is enough to meet the nation’s energy needs for 60,000 years, making it the metal of the future for scientists and governments.
What implications does this discovery have for China and the rest of the planet?
The study, led by engineer Fan Honghai, has identified 233 thorium-rich zones stretching from Xinjiang to Guangdong. Many of these reserves are found in coastal deposits that are easy to extract from or in rare-earth mine tailings, which until now were considered unproductive.
Although separating thorium requires processes that are both costly and polluting, China has approved the first thorium power plant in the Gobi Desert, which will begin operating in 2029 with a capacity of 10 megawatts. Additionally, projects are underway to develop thorium-powered ships and lunar reactors capable of supporting bases on the surface of the Moon.
Key points of the discovery
- Thorium produces 200 times more energy compared with uranium.
- China holds most of the reserves worldwide.
- A single deposit could sustain the country for 60,000 years.
- The first pilot plant will begin operations in 2029.
- Its use is expected in ships and space missions.