Uranium and Thorium in India: Pioneering Energy Security and Sustainability

India holds significant reserves of both uranium and thorium, vital for its nuclear energy program. With around 528,000 tonnes of uranium, India is a major global player but still relies on imports. Meanwhile, India’s thorium reserves, estimated at over 500,000 tonnes, offer unique opportunities for developing advanced nuclear technologies. Understanding the distribution, environmental concerns, and potential benefits of these resources is crucial for India’s energy future.

Energy Security and Sustainability in India through Uranium and Thorium Utilization

Uranium In India

• India has estimated uranium reserves of around 528,000 tonnes, ranking 15th globally.
• India is the world’s 9th largest producer of uranium, with annual output exceeding 2,200 tonnes.
• India currently relies heavily on uranium imports, primarily from Russia, Australia, and Kazakhstan.

Enriched Uranium

Definition: It is uranium whose concentration of the isotope uranium-235 (U-235) has been increased compared to natural uranium. 

• This makes uranium more suitable for certain applications, such as nuclear power generation or nuclear weapons production.

• • Composition: Natural uranium typically consists of approximately 99.3% of Uranium-238(U-238) and 0.7% of Uranium-235(U-235). 
  • Limitation: The low percentage of U-235 in natural uranium limits its suitability for certain applications where a higher concentration of fissile material is required. 

• Types of Enriched Uranium

• • Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU):  It refers to uranium with a higher concentration of U-235 than natural uranium but still below 20%.  
    • It is used as fuel in commercial nuclear power reactors.
• Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU): It has a U-235 concentration of over 20%. [UPSC 2023]. 
  • It has been historically used in military applications, including the production of nuclear weapons.

Thorium In India

Vast Thorium Reserves: India possesses unique advantages in the realm of nuclear energy due to its vast reserves of thorium, estimated at over 500,000 tons, accounting for roughly 25% of the world’s known reserves. 

• Distribution of Thorium in India: It is predominantly found associated with minerals like monazite, zircon, and ilmenite.

• • Beach sands and placer deposits along the eastern coast constitute the largest source of thorium.
  • Inland deposits, including carbonatite intrusions and pegmatites, contribute to the overall reserves.[UPSC 2022]
• Major Thorium Deposits: Andhra Pradesh (31%),Tamil Nadu (22%),Odisha (20%),Kerala (12%),Gujarat (3%),Bihar (2%).

Differences between thorium and uranium [UPSC 2012]

Potential benefits of using Thorium

Resource abundance: Thorium is approximately four times more abundant than uranium in the Earth’s crust, making it a more sustainable long-term fuel source.

• Fuel breeding: Although not directly fissile, thorium-232 can be converted into fissile uranium-233 through neutron capture.
• Reduced waste: Thorium-based reactors produce less long-lived radioactive waste compared to uranium reactors. 
  • This is because thorium primarily produces uranium-233, which has a shorter half-life than the long-lived transuranics generated in uranium reactors.
• Enhanced safety: Thorium-based reactor designs can incorporate inherent safety features that make them less susceptible to accidents.
  • This passive safety feature reduces the risk of meltdowns and accidents compared to some traditional uranium reactor designs.
• Diversification of energy sources: It can serve as a valuable addition to the energy mix, reducing reliance solely on fossil fuels or uranium.

Conclusion

Harnessing India’s vast uranium and thorium reserves can enhance energy security and sustainability. 

• While uranium is currently central to India’s nuclear power, thorium’s abundance and potential for safer, more efficient reactors present a promising alternative. 
• Developing these resources responsibly can reduce environmental impacts and diversify India’s energy mix, contributing to long-term energy stability.