Summary
The chart below demonstrates the worldwide abundance of minable thorium. The problem has been market. Thorium based reactor programs have been conducted by Germany,Japan,USA,Russia and India. The programs have been active for over 30 years . The thorium based reactors produce isotope byproducts which are not weapons grade. The nonproliferation of fissionable weapons grade material is a key driver for the program. Major identified monazite thorium deposits are available world wide and economic exploitation is determined by lack of demand not lack of resources. Estimated world thorium resources1 (Reasonably assured and inferred resources recoverable at up to US$80/kg Th) Country Tonnes % of total Australia 452,000 18 USA 400,000 16 Turkey 344,000 13 India 319,000 12 Venezuela 300,000 12 Brazil 302,000 12 Norway 132,000 5
Analysis
Thorium was in great demand for the manufacture of Welsbach gas mantles, but that market is gone. The primary ore for thorium is the heavy mineral monazite. Monazite is found in large sedimentary deposits worldwide. The mineral is resistant to weathering and is found in major sedimentary sand deposits. Deposits of commercial heavy monazite -bearing sands occur in India, USA and Brazil. The chemical and physical character makes separation of the monazite from the waste material viable. The commercial mining of Thorium has been stillborn for years.The product had no significant market. A rapid increase in world production of thorium is not difficult from a geologic point of view.
