Difference between revisions of "Thorium"
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Thorium is present on [[Mars]], however, it seems to be lower concentrations than on Earth.<ref name=":12">Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes, JPL '' Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes '', https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA04257, March 2003.</ref> Thorium can be used to produce fuel for [[Nuclear power|nuclear reactors]] on Mars, [[Nuclear_thermal_propulsion|nuclear thermal propulsion]] and [[Ion_thruster#Pulsed_Fission_Fusion_.28PuFF.29|nuclear pulsed propulsion]]. [[Elements on Mars|Periodic table]] Th. | Thorium is present on [[Mars]], however, it seems to be lower concentrations than on Earth.<ref name=":12">Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes, JPL '' Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes '', https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA04257, March 2003.</ref> Thorium can be used to produce fuel for [[Nuclear power|nuclear reactors]] on Mars, [[Nuclear_thermal_propulsion|nuclear thermal propulsion]] and [[Ion_thruster#Pulsed_Fission_Fusion_.28PuFF.29|nuclear pulsed propulsion]]. [[Elements on Mars|Periodic table]] Th. | ||
| − | The average concentration seems to be more than about six times lower than on Earth in the most concentrated areas<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occurrence_of_thorium</ref>. Naturally concentrated deposits would need to be found to make the use of Thorium economical on Mars in the long term, or the tailings of rare earth element<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxwF93wnRQo</ref> or other<ref>https://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm-copper-mining-and-production-wastes</ref> mines could be utilized, which typically produce a waste stream enriched in thorium. | + | The average concentration seems to be more than about six times lower than on Earth in the most concentrated areas, at 1 ppm rather than the Earth average of 6 ppm<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occurrence_of_thorium</ref>. Naturally concentrated deposits would need to be found to make the use of Thorium economical on Mars in the long term, or the tailings of rare earth element<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxwF93wnRQo</ref> or other<ref>https://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm-copper-mining-and-production-wastes</ref> mines could be utilized, which typically produce a waste stream enriched in thorium. |
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Revision as of 07:11, 16 November 2020
Thorium is present on Mars, however, it seems to be lower concentrations than on Earth.[1] Thorium can be used to produce fuel for nuclear reactors on Mars, nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear pulsed propulsion. Periodic table Th.
The average concentration seems to be more than about six times lower than on Earth in the most concentrated areas, at 1 ppm rather than the Earth average of 6 ppm[2]. Naturally concentrated deposits would need to be found to make the use of Thorium economical on Mars in the long term, or the tailings of rare earth element[3] or other[4] mines could be utilized, which typically produce a waste stream enriched in thorium.
References
- ↑ Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes, JPL Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes , https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA04257, March 2003.
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occurrence_of_thorium
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxwF93wnRQo
- ↑ https://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm-copper-mining-and-production-wastes
