Context:
NTPC Limited partners with US-based Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) to explore thorium-based nuclear energy solutions.
Thorium:
- A naturally occurring radioactive metal.
- Gives an olive-grey colour when exposed to air, forming thorium dioxide (ThO2).
- Moderately soft and malleable, with a high melting point.
- Estimated to be over 3 times more abundant than uranium in the Earth’s crust.
- Most common source of thorium is Monazite, which is found in placer deposits.
- Exists in nature as a single isotope, Th-232, which decays very slowly.
- Th-232 is not fissile and cannot be used directly in a thermal neutron reactor.
- It requires a fissile material like Uranium-233 or Plutonium-239 to drive a chain reaction
- Thorium-based reactors produce less long-lived radioactive waste compared to uranium reactors.
Thorium in India:
- India has the largest thorium reserves globally
- Beach sands and placer deposits along the eastern coast constitute the largest source of thorium
- Major Thorium Deposits: Andhra Pradesh (31%), Tamil Nadu (22%), Odisha (20%), Kerala (12%), Gujarat (3%), Bihar (2%).
- India’s 1st indigenous fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, has demonstrated the feasibility of using thorium as a fuel source.
Source: ET
Previous Year Question
With reference to India, consider the following statements:
1. Monazite is a source of rare earths.
2. Monazite contains thorium.
3. Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India.
4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (b)