China Discovers Rare Element Called Thorium That "Can Power" The Country For "60,000 Years"

• China has discovered a rare earth mineral that is capable of helping it achieve energy sufficiency for thousands of years
• China said it found thorium in large deposits in the Bayan Obo mining complex in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region of northern China
• The mine is said to contain thorium capable of supplying China's household energy demands 'almost forever'

China has found large quantities of thorium, a rare earth mineral that could be harnessed for energy production.

The large quantities of thorium discovered in the Bayan Obo mining complex in the Inner Mongolia could give the country energy for thousands of years.

The thorium found in China is a slightly radioactive element which can be used to produce cleaner energy.

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Scientists estimate that the Chinese thorium mining site could yield 1 million tonnes of thorium at full exploration, South China Morning Post reports.

If fully harnessed, China could use the thorium to power the country for 60,000 years.

According to the study by scientists, there are at least 233 thorium-rich zones across the country, and they remain largely untouched.

A geologist who spoke to SCMP on the condition of anonymity said:

“For over a century, nations have been engaging in wars over fossil fuels. It turns out the endless energy source lies right under our feet."

China has already started building the world's first-ever thorium molten-salt reactor (TMSR) plant in the Gobi Desert, where the element would be harnessed into electricity. This is expected to generate 10 megawatts of electricity.

SCMP reports:

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"China could be sitting on top of enough thorium to power its energy needs almost forever, a national survey has revealed. This one radioactive metal alone could revolutionise global energy production, ending the worldwide dependence on fossil fuels, an expert has said."

However, the downside is that mining thorium could be highly expensive as it requires a lot of investment in state-of-the-art facilities.

According to Discovery Alert:

"One of the foremost challenges lies in the extraction and processing of thorium. The complex nature of mining and refining thorium requires state-of-the-art technology and significant capital investment. Economic feasibility, along with ensuring environmental sustainability, remains a crucial concern.

Scientists share information about Asteroid 2024 YRA

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that an asteroid had been detected by scientists who are studying its possibility of colliding with Earth.

The asteroid is known as 2024 YR4, and it has a 2.2% chance of hitting our planet on December 22, 2032.

However, scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are still observing the asteroid.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.