Produced by: Manoj Kumar
China’s geologists claim to have found an “endless” energy source in Inner Mongolia. The thorium reserves could power the country for 60,000 years, reshaping the global energy landscape.
The Bayan Obo mining complex holds an estimated one million tonnes of thorium, a long-overlooked resource. Extracting it could revolutionize energy production worldwide, researchers say.
Thorium is 500 times more abundant than uranium and generates 200 times more energy, according to the World Nuclear Association. But cost-effective extraction remains a challenge.
China is building the world’s first thorium molten-salt reactor. These reactors produce less waste, avoid meltdowns, and could fuel ships, cities, and industries for decades.
Researchers claim just five years’ worth of China’s mining waste contains enough thorium to meet America’s energy needs for 1,000 years—if fully extracted.
China, the US, and Russia are ramping up nuclear tech. While Beijing builds 24 new reactors, the US may be forced to restart nuclear weapons testing amid growing tensions.
Donald Trump is striking a minerals deal with Ukraine, aiming to access its rare earth reserves. But experts warn the US still lags far behind China in securing critical minerals.
If China’s thorium reactors succeed, they could end global fossil fuel dependence. A Beijing scientist says, “For a century, wars were fought over oil—turns out the answer was under our feet.”
With thorium’s potential, energy superpowers could be reshuffled. If other nations follow China’s lead, the world might be on the verge of a new nuclear revolution.