Replies to post #2254 on The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[DewDiligence]

If environmental regulators think thorium is hazardous, as they evidently do, then from an investment standpoint, it might as well be hazardous.

[CT]

Speaking of thorium...have any insight into the progress of developing liquid fluoride thorium reactors in the U.S.? Ever since I read a Wired article about them a couple of years ago, I've been fascinated by their promise.

But I'm assuming that "promise" is all that's there right now.

[xrymd]

I suspect mining and refining of zirconium and maybe titantium also involves relatively thorium rich concentrates yet i've never heard any safety concerns regarding thorium in those operations. i've worked with thorium metal. it isn't particularly hazardous.

Thorium may have received it's bad name from radiology. It was injected as a contrast medium in the 30's 40's and 50's. It sat in peoples liver and the constant low level radiation caused people to develop fatal angiosarcoma's in frighteningly high proportions.