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China Set to Begin First Trials of Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor

posted by martyb on Sunday August 29 2021, @01:34AM   Printer-friendly
from the glowing-recommendation? dept.

wirelessduck writes:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-28/china-thorium-molten-salt-nuclear-reactor-energy/100351932

Scientists in China are about to turn on for the first time an experimental reactor that's believed by some to be the Holy Grail of nuclear energy — safer, cheaper and with less potential for weaponisation.

Construction on the thorium-based molten salt reactor was expected to be finished this month with the first tests to begin as early as September, according to a statement from the Gansu provincial government.

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by khallow on Sunday August 29 2021, @12:40PM (4 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Sunday August 29 2021, @12:40PM (#1172024) Journal

    and it soon becomes apparent that thorium's superficial cleanliness will still depend on digging some pretty deep holes to bury the highly radioactive waste.

    Or using it as nuclear fuel in the reactor like a non-idiot. And as the AC replier noted, please tell us more about the scary-dangerous isotope with a half life of 15.7 million years. You'd probably die from iodine poisoning before you could intake enough of it to cause any sort of measurable radiation damage. For example, a microgram of Iodine 131 (yes, that's a millionth of a gram) would have a similar level of radioactivity to a kilogram of Iodine 129 (this includes the higher energy of the decay products of Iodine 131 BTW in addition to the huge difference between a half-life of 8 days versus 15.7 million years)

    Starting Score:    1  point
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  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 29 2021, @04:45PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 29 2021, @04:45PM (#1172058)

    I believe that's the sound of the lesser-spotted volunteer who wants to store this in their back yard.

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday August 29 2021, @05:22PM (2 children)

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Sunday August 29 2021, @05:22PM (#1172068) Journal
      How much are you offering to pay?

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 29 2021, @07:37PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 29 2021, @07:37PM (#1172090)

        As much Iodine as you want.

        • (Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday August 29 2021, @11:40PM

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Sunday August 29 2021, @11:40PM (#1172129) Journal
          In other words, you're asking for my backyard for free. No wonder it's not working.