Thorium
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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
