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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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China Set to Begin First Trials of Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor
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(Score: 4, Insightful) by sjames on Sunday August 29 2021, @05:53PM (2 children)
That's not a problem of thorium reactor, that a problem of making weapons material on purpose and then using a tiny fraction of that to kickstart thorium reactors as an excuse.
India was already producing fissile plutonium before thorium reactors were even considered.
(Score: 2) by driverless on Sunday August 29 2021, @11:52PM (1 child)
Sure, I was more pointing out that if you're intent on warmongering then you can get there just as easily via an appropriately chosen thorium route.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Monday August 30 2021, @01:39AM
Actually, that will be quite hard. India did NOT do that. They did it with PHWRs. The only part thorium played was a thin excuse tacked on at the end. Note that the U.S. went with enriched uranium over thorium in order to make sure it had enough weapons grade material.
Separating U232 from U233 is harder than separating u235 from U238.