Leslie Massey
Thorium is a slightly radioactive, naturally occurring chemical element that is present in most rocks and soils. It is often found in uranium mining waste and is usually associated with other commodities such as rare earth elements, zirconium, niobium, and tantalum. Australia, which has abundant reserves of coal, oil, and gas, has developed an allergic reaction to any mention of uranium or nuclear energy. However, with the growing concern over climate change and the need to shift away from fossil fuels, nuclear power is once again being considered as an energy source in Australia. Thorium, with its advantages over uranium nuclear power, is being discussed as an alternative nuclear fuel. Australia possesses around 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves, and while it has no current plans for a domestic nuclear power industry, the country is exploring the potential of thorium as a future energy source.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Thorium reserves in Australia | 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves |
| Thorium deposits | Found in all states |
| Thorium-rich minerals | Monazite, calcrete |
| Thorium in Australia's mines | Nolan's Bore Mine in the Northern Territory contains 0.2% thorium |
| Thorium as a nuclear fuel | No commercial applications yet |
| Thorium as a replacement for uranium | Yes, due to its greater safety benefits, higher occurrence, and availability |
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What You'll Learn
Thorium is found in monazite, a mineral in Australia
Thorium is a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive chemical element. It is found in most rocks and soils and is three times more abundant than uranium. It is a silvery-white metal that retains its lustre for several months after being exposed to the elements. It slowly tarnishes when exposed to air, first turning grey and then black.
Australia has one of the world's largest reserves of thorium, with approximately 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves. It is found in various locations across the country, with significant deposits in all states. However, thorium is not currently produced in Australia, and large-scale production is not expected in the next few decades.
Thorium has been used in the nuclear generation process, but its use is still largely experimental, and there is no commercial market for it yet. It has been explored as a potential source of low-carbon energy, and its advantages over uranium nuclear power are being considered in Australia.
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Australia has 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves
Australia has an abundance of thorium reserves. The country holds around 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves, in addition to its 30% share of uranium reserves. Thorium is a slightly radioactive, naturally occurring chemical element. It is found in most rocks and soils and has the potential to replace uranium as a nuclear fuel.
Thorium is more evenly distributed than uranium, with significant deposits found in all states of Australia. Most known thorium resources in the country are associated with the mineral monazite, which is often found within heavy mineral sand and rare earth element deposits. Australia was once the world's largest producer of monazite and is thought to still have the world's largest monazite resource.
Thorium-rich minerals such as monazite are commonly found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. As rocks weather, monazite grains remain intact due to their resistance. They are then transported downslope by wind, water, and gravity, eventually accumulating behind boulders, on the inside bends of stream channels, or in the lower parts of a sediment deposit along with other heavy minerals.
Thorium can also be present in other geological settings, such as alkaline igneous intrusions and complexes, including carbonatites, and in veins and dykes. In these deposits, thorium is usually associated with other commodities such as rare earths, zirconium, niobium, tantalum, and other elements.
Despite having one of the world's largest reserves of thorium, Australia does not currently have a thorium industry. Thorium is considered an unwelcome contaminant in rare earth ores, making the tailings slightly radioactive and creating social and political problems in the processing phase. However, with the growing concern over climate change and the need to shift away from fossil fuels, there is an increasing interest in exploring thorium as a potential source of low-carbon energy.
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Thorium is found in rare earth ores
Thorium is a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive chemical element. It is found in most rocks and soils and is three times more abundant than uranium. It is present in greater quantities in the Earth's crust than uranium.
In Australia, thorium is found in rare earth ores. It is often discovered in uranium mining waste and is usually associated with other commodities such as rare earths, zirconium, niobium, tantalum, and other elements. Australia has one of the world's largest reserves of thorium, with around 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves.
Thorium-rich minerals, such as monazite, are commonly found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Monazite is a resistant mineral, so as rocks weather, monazite grains remain intact and are transported downslope by wind, water, and gravity. They can accumulate behind boulders, in the inside bends of stream channels, or in the lower parts of sediment deposits.
In addition to heavy mineral sand deposits, thorium can be present in other geological settings, such as alkaline igneous intrusions and complexes, including carbonatites, and in veins and dykes. Rare earth ores mined at the Nolan's Bore Mine in the Northern Territory contain about 0.2% thorium. This amount is not separated or sold to the market.
Thorium is not currently produced in Australia, and large-scale production is not expected in the next few decades. There are no commercial applications for thorium, and world production and consumption rates are negligible. However, thorium has been used in nuclear generation processes and has been demonstrated to perform as a nuclear fuel in several reactor designs.
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Thorium is found in igneous and metamorphic rocks
Thorium is a slightly radioactive, naturally occurring element. It is found in most rocks and soils and is three times more abundant than uranium. In Australia, thorium is found in igneous and metamorphic rocks, and the country is believed to possess around 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves.
Thorium-rich minerals such as monazite are commonly found in these rock types. Monazite is a resistant mineral, and as rocks weather, monazite grains remain intact. They are then transported downslope by wind, water, and gravity, eventually accumulating behind boulders, in the inside bends of stream channels, or in the lower parts of a sediment deposit, along with other heavy minerals.
Thorium can also be found in other geological settings, such as alkaline igneous intrusions and complexes, including carbonatites, and in veins and dykes. In these deposits, thorium is usually associated with other commodities such as rare earth elements, zirconium, niobium, and tantalum, among other elements.
Australia has widespread thorium-bearing mineral deposits, and the country was once the world's largest producer of monazite. It is thought to have the world's largest monazite resource, with most known thorium resources in the country associated with this mineral.
Thorium is often found in uranium mining waste, and it is an unwelcome contaminant in rare earth ores, making the tailings slightly radioactive. This creates social and political problems in the processing phase, as seen with the Australian-owned Lynas Corporation in Malaysia.
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Australia has no plans for a domestic nuclear power industry
Nuclear power in Australia has been a topic of debate since the mid-20th century. Australia has never had a nuclear power plant, but it does have one nuclear reactor, the open-pool Australian lightwater reactor research reactor at Lucas Heights, which supplies the majority of the country's nuclear medicine.
Australia has abundant uranium and thorium resources, with about 33% of the world's uranium resources and 20% of the world's thorium. Thorium-rich minerals such as monazite are commonly found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Australia was once the world's largest producer of monazite and is thought to have the world's largest monazite resource. However, thorium is not currently produced in Australia, and production on a large scale is unlikely in the next few decades.
Despite Australia's abundant resources, there are several reasons why the country has no plans for a domestic nuclear power industry. One reason is the cost; nuclear energy is one of the most expensive options for Australia, with renewable energy being the cheapest. Building nuclear power plants could increase electricity bills by $665 on average, and $972 for a family of four. In addition, nuclear plants require significant upfront investment during construction.
Another reason is the time it would take to get nuclear reactors up and running. According to the CSIRO, it would take at least 15 years for nuclear reactors to start producing energy, whereas Australia already has a plan to roll out clean, safe, and abundant renewable power. Furthermore, there are concerns about the safety of nuclear power and the storage of nuclear waste.
Finally, Australia's extensive low-cost coal and natural gas reserves have historically been used as strong arguments for avoiding nuclear power. The country's coal-fired power stations supply about half of the electricity in Australia's main national grid, and the transition to renewable energy sources is already underway, with about 40% of Australia's electricity coming from solar, wind, and hydropower.
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Frequently asked questions
Thorium is found in all states across Australia. It is often found in heavy mineral sand and rare earth element deposits, as well as in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Australia is estimated to possess around 10-15% of the world's thorium reserves, although another source estimates this figure to be 20%.
Thorium is a slightly radioactive, naturally occurring chemical element that has the potential to be used as nuclear fuel. It is more abundant than uranium and has greater safety benefits. However, there is currently no commercial market for thorium, and it is not produced in Australia.
The Nolan's Bore Mine in the Northern Territory contains about 0.2% thorium. The Olympic Dam mine in South Australia, the world's largest uranium deposit, is also likely to contain significant amounts of thorium.
