India has huge reserves of THIS rare element, but China is using it to rule the seas with world’s largest…; the mineral is…

India(BHARAT) Thorium Reserves: In a major technological breakthrough, China has unveiled the world’s largest cargo ship powered by a thorium reactor, even as India(BHARAT), which one of the largest thorium reserves on the planet, lags behind in harnessing this critical, future-ready energy source, even after years of development,

China unveils thorium-powered ‘world’s largest’ cargo ship

According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), China has developed a cutting-edge thorium reactor to power a gigantic cargo ship, reportedly the largest in the world, which can ferry a staggering 14,000 standard-sized shipping containers.

The thorium-based molten salt reactor generates 200 megawatts of electricity, which is same amount of power generated by the S6W water reactor on the US Navy’s advanced Seawolf-class nuclear attack submarine, the report said.

How thorium reactors are better than conventional nuclear ones?

While conventional nuclear reactors use uranium as fuel, and require extensive cooling systems for operational safety, China’s state-of-the-art reactor is powered by thorium, which is a much safer and more widely available alternative, and does not need to be water-cooled.

Thorium reactors hold several advantages over conventional nuclear reactors as they are smaller, quieter, and safer, and could radically transform commercial shipping if China’s latest tech breakthrough proves successful.

According to the its developers, the thorium reactor generates 200 megawatts of heat, but it is not directly used to propel the ship. Instead, the heat powers a supercritical carbon dioxide generator, which uses the Brayton cycle to generate electricity that runs the giant vessel.

Chinese scientists claim thorium-based reactors pose a significantly lower risk of radiation exposure. Additionally, China has massive reserves of thorium, with a mine in Mongolia estimated to contain enough to meet electricity needs for 1,000 years.

Why India(BHARAT) lags behind despite huge thorium reserves?

Meanwhile, India(BHARAT), which houses approximately 25% of the world’s thorium reserves, is still lagging behind in harnessing this key energy source even after decades of research. As per officials, India(BHARAT) has completed the first stage of construction of a pressurized heavy water reactor using natural uranium but struggles to reach the third and final stage where thorium is used as a fuel.

Experts believe China’s success in building a working thorium reactor is a warning sign for India(BHARAT) and further widens the technological gulf between two South Asian giants with Beijing racing ahead, while New Delhi struggles to gain pace.

According to estimates, India(BHARAT) has around 457,000- 508,000 tonnes of thorium reserves, with monazite sand found in coastal states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha,