Question:

Alternatives hasn’t yet mentioned thorium. But this metal is also, potentially, a nuclear fuel, although investigations are still in progress. India is already interested in it. To my knowledge, thorium reserves are more abundant than uranium. Shouldn’t this be taken into account when talking about the medium or long term future of nuclear power?

Answer:

Thorium is indeed more abundant in nature than uranium. It's found in the form of heavy ores (rare earths) in coastal sands, and particularly in monazite, a phosphate. India has 90% of the world’s deposits. All of the ore can be used in a reactor, versus only 0.7% for natural uranium, so it doesn’t require costly enrichment facilities. Plus, the fuel cycle produces less plutonium and long-lived radioactive waste. Conversely, its transmutation into highly radioactive uranium-233 to make it fissile creates a risk of proliferation (weapons use), and fuel recycling has not yet been resolved on a technical level. Nonetheless, its qualities have given it a prominent position in major reactor development programs aimed at commercial deployment in 2040, with two of the goals being to minimize long-lived waste and recycle the fuel.