Location of Nuclear Fuels

Location of Nuclear Fuels

Uranium and Thorium are the two most important mineral which are used to generate nuclear energy. Uranium is very common mineral produced to generate nuclear energy. Uranium is generally found in the crust of the earth. Uranium is a silver white metal in the actinide series in the periodic table. (Wiki says Actinide series encompasses 15 metallic chemical elements with atomic number from 89 to 103. Not important for our discussion)

When it comes to reserves Australia has the highest amount of reserves of Uranium with 31% followed by Kazakhstan 12%, Russia 9%, Canada 9%, Nigeria 8% and South Africa 5%. But when it comes to production of Uranium, Kazakhstan tops with 34% followed by Canada 19%, Australia 11%, Namibia 9%, Nigeria 8% and Russia 7%. 

Apart from reserves Uranium is also obtained by recycling of Plutonium and used Uranium. It is very easy to obtained Uranium from recycling of Plutonium rather than using used Uranium. Uranium can also be obtained by re-enriching depleted Uranium. Russia is very efficient in re-enriching depleted Uranium.

Thorium is a potential substitute of Uranium. Although it is currently not used as a nuclear fuel, but it has greater potential to become a nuclear fuel in near future. Thorium can not be used directly as a nuclear fuel. Thorium is first converted to a fissile Uranium (U233) by capturing a neutrons in a CANDU reactor (Canada Deuterium Uranium Reactor) . CANDU reactor is specially designed to use Thorium as in generating nuclear energy. 

Thorium is more commonly distributed in the crust of the earth than the Uranium. Although exact knowledge of its distribution is not available but it is believed that the highest amount of reserves are present in Australia, USA, Turkey, India,Venezuela and Brazil.

Indian Scenario :

India has very little amount of Uranium available with it. According to Department of Atomic Energy, current reserve of Uranium is India is around 2 lac tonnes. Highest amount of Uranium reserves are present in Andhra Pradesh followed by Jharkhand and Meghalaya. Production of Uranium is banned in Meghalaya due to social and cultural sentiments of Garo, Khasi and Jayantiya tribes. Some of the prominent reserves are:

Jharkhand:

• Jaduguda
• Bhatin
• Turamdih
• Bagjata
• Narwapahar

Andhra:

• Tumalpalle
• Koppunuru
• Sikar
• Yadgir
• Gogi
• Wahkut

One interesting thing is that India has substantial amount of Thorium reserves. Thorium is found in form of Thorium Oxide in Monazite ore. Monazite ore is found in beach and rivers sands. Highest amount of Monazite in  the world is found Pallakad and Kollam districts of Kerala, Vishakhapattanam and Mahanadi Deltas in Odisha. Odisha has the richest reserves of Thorium followed by Andhrapradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

Unlike the Coal and Petroleum, Nuclear is a clean and green source of energy. As concerns for global warming are high Nuclear provides an alternative to the conventional sources of energy.

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Sources DOPT, WIKI, nrc.gov, eia.gov, npcil.nic.in