From Envirowiki

[edit] Thorium fuelled nuclear power

Thorium is a fuel that can be used in nuclear reactors but produces very little nuclear waste and what there is, has a half-life of hundreds, rather than millions of years. Thorium reactors are what is called sub-critical, so no runaway reaction can occur. Furthermore, Thorium is 10 times as abundant as uranium and Australia has huge reserves of it. Sounds too good to be true? Maybe, and certainly if you search on the web you can find plenty of criticism and opposition to the idea. Having said that, Norway, which currently bans the use of nuclear power, is now investigating it. Obviously the jury is out, but who knows – it might be that a more benign form of nuclear power will emerge.

Thorium, like all mineral based forms of energy production is susceptible to Hubbert's Peak. Thorium is a mined resource.

[edit] external links

• http://www.mii.org/Minerals/photothorium.html Some basic thorium facts on the Mineral Information Institute website.