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Thorium fuel has risks

Thorium fuel has risks

Simple chemical pathways open up proliferation possibilities for the proposed nuclear ‘wonder fuel’, warn Stephen F. Ashley and colleagues.

Thorium is being touted as a potential wonder fuel. Proponents believe that this element could be used in a new generation of nuclear-power plants to produce relatively safe, low-carbon energy with more resistance against potential nuclear-weapons proliferation than uranium. Although thorium offers some benefits, we contend that the public debate is too one-sided: small-scale chemical reprocessing of irradiated thorium can create an isotope of uranium that could be used in nuclear weapons, raising proliferation concerns.

Naturally-occurring thorium is made up almost entirely of thorium-232, an isotope that is unable to sustain nuclear fission. When bombarded with neutrons, thorium is converted through a series of decays into uranium-233, which is fissile and long-lived — its half-life is 160,000 years. A side product is uranium-232, which decays into other isotopes that give off intense γ-radiation that is difficult to shield against. Spent thorium fuel is typically difficult to handle and thus resistant to proliferation.

We are concerned, however, that other processes, which might be conducted in smaller facilities, could be used to convert 232Th into 233U while minimizing contamination by 232U, thus posing a proliferation threat. Notably, the chemical separation of an intermediate isotope — protactinium-233 — that decays into 233U is a cause for concern.

Thorium is not a route to a nuclear future that is free from proliferation risks. Policies should be strengthened around thorium’s use in declared nuclear activities, and greater vigilance is needed to protect against surreptitious activities involving this element.

Protactinium pathway

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September 11, 2021 Posted by | 2 WORLD, Reference, thorium | Leave a comment

We must listen to young people on the climate crisis as-they will inherit the earth if theres anything left of it

Here in Scotland 50 young activists from across the country have joined
forces to create an official COP26 Youth Climate Programme. The initiative
has been designed to equip other young Scots with the knowledge, skills and
confidence to engage with proceedings at the conference. With Scottish
Government support, it will see youngsters from all backgrounds and regions
come together to take part in tailored training schemes.

 Scotsman 10th Sept 2021

https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/cop26-we-must-listen-to-young-people-on-the-climate-crisis-as-they-will-inherit-the-earth-if-theres-anything-left-of-it-ilona-amos-3377825

September 11, 2021 Posted by | climate change, UK | Leave a comment

Planned UK-Australia trade deal – a dangerous precedent for climate change policy

 Green groups and opposition MPs have responded angrily to news the UK
government has agreed to drop binding climate targets from the planned
UK-Australia trade deal, accusing Ministers of “a massive betrayal of our
country and our planet”.

Greenpeace’s John Sauven offered a withering
assessment of the government’s decision, warning that it set a dangerous
precedent for future trade deals with other carbon intensive nations. “It
will be a race to the bottom, impacting on clean tech sectors and farmers’
livelihoods. There should be a moratorium on trade deals with countries
like Australia until they improve on their weak climate targets and end
deforestation. At the moment the public and parliament are being duped by
the Prime Minister into thinking this deal is great for Britain when in
reality nothing could be further from the truth.”

 Business Green 9th Sept 2021

https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4036860/uk-australia-trade-deal-anger-grows-decision-water-climate-pledges

September 11, 2021 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, business and costs, climate change, politics international, UK | Leave a comment

Earthquake risks for proposed coal mine in Cumbria, all too close to Sellafield nuclear site

Geotechnical experts have urged caution over claims from a campaign group
that the proposed Cumbrian coal mine could cause earthquakes. Before the
start of the public inquiry into the mine – which began yesterday –
campaign group Radiation Free Lakeland said that the development poses
induced earthquake and subsidence risk. The group believes that “mining
induced seismicity is likely to occur” at the coal mine, and also
emphasised that nuclear waste site Sellafield is 8km away.

“The majority
of anthropogenic-related earthquakes were caused by coal mining and the
decline in their numbers from the 1980s to the 2000s was concurrent with a
decline in UK coal production,” Radiation Free Lakeland said. “The coal
mine will induce earthquakes in the vicinity of the world’s riskiest
nuclear site – that is a given – let’s hope and pray that the massive
silence from NGOs over the nuclear elephant in the room does not give the
government (who are employing the coal boss) wriggle room to approve the
coal mine.

“We urge all those speaking against the mine at the public
inquiry to give at least a mention to the fact that this coal mine would
mine out voids faster than any previous coal mine in UK history and would
induce earthquakes and cause subsidence in the Irish Sea and Sellafield
area.” Geotechnical specialist Clive Edmonds said that “in principle,
mining can induce low magnitude, shallow depth earthquake activity”.
“Such activity has been noted in many former coal field areas where
several different depth coal seams underlying each other were extracted in
close proximity to fault lines,” he said.

However, Edmonds emphasised
that “whether and to what degree” the Cumbrian coal mine will cause
earthquake activity “will depend upon the specific mine design and
development plan over time taking account of the known regional structural
geology”.

 New Civil Engineer 8th sept 2021

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/cumbrian-coal-mine-geotech-experts-play-down-earthquake-claims-08-09-2021/c1

September 11, 2021 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

Texas Legislature passes Bill to prevent import and storage of high level nuclear waste

A bill passed by the Texas Legislature could ban the storage of high-level
nuclear waste in the state and could prove a path to similar efforts in
neighboring New Mexico. House Bill 7 was passed by the Texas House of
Representatives on an 119-3 vote Sept. 2 and unanimously by the Texas
Senate. The bill was sent to Gov. Greg Abbott for a signature and which
would create a new state law. If enacted, the bill would expressly prohibit
the state from issuing permits to construct or operate a facility to store
nuclear waste within the state, with the exception of existing nuclear
facilities like power plants that store the waste on-site.

 Carlsbad Current Argus 9th Sept 2021

https://eu.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2021/09/09/could-new-mexico-follow-texas-ban-radioactive-nuclear-waste-storage/5759271001/

September 11, 2021 Posted by | politics, USA, wastes | Leave a comment

West Cumbria Mining Unconvincingly Play Down Seismic Impacts of their Mine — RADIATION FREE LAKELAND

Originally posted on Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole: Windscale (now Sellafield) Nuclear Emergency 10 October 1957 – Will West Cumbria Mining Be The Catalyst For the Next Nuclear Emergency? New Civil Engineer Full Report : below are extracts from yesterday’s article in New Civil Engineer “Cumbrian coal mine | Geotech experts play down earthquake…

West Cumbria Mining Unconvincingly Play Down Seismic Impacts of their Mine — RADIATION FREE LAKELAND

September 11, 2021 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Month 9 Energy News — geoharvey

Opinion: ¶ “Is This Controversial Money Manager And Tesla Bull Changing The Face Of Wall Street?” • In a profile in the New York Times, Matt Phillips calls Cathie Wood, the founder and CEO of investment management firm Ark Invest, “the most influential investor at work in the markets today,” and gives her credit for […]

Month 9 Energy News — geoharvey

September 11, 2021 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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