(a) whether sufficient quantity of thorium reserves are
available in the country which has the potential to serve as
feedstock for an ambitious nuclear power programme;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken to extract thorium
and utilize it for our nuclear power programme?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS
AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (SHRI V. NARAYANASAMY)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD),
a constituent Unit of the Department of Atomic Energy has established 10.70
million tonnes of Monazite in the country, which contains 9,63,000 tonnes of
Thorium Oxide (ThO2). Indian Monazite contains about 9-10% of ThO2 and
about 8,46,477 tonnes of Thorium Metal can be obtained from 9,63,000
tonnes of ThO2 which will be used for future programmes of DAE.
India is pursuing a three stage nuclear power generation programme aimed
at long term energy independence based on use of our abundant Thorium
resources.The programme is to use Thorium for electricity generation in the
long-term.In order to realize this goal, we are well into the first stage
based on our modest domestic Uranium resources. This will be followed by
second stage comprising of fast reactors.It is proposed to set up a large
power generation capacity based on fast reactors before getting into the
third stage.Thorium in itself cannot produce electricity and it has to be
first converted to Uranium-233 in a nuclear reactor.A comprehensive three-stage
nuclear power programme is therefore being implemented sequentially.
(c) India has been working on the development of technologies for
Utilisation of Thorium for Nuclear Power Generation since the inception
of the Indian Nuclear Programme. As a part of this work, thorium has been
irradiated in our Research Reactors and also in Pressurised Heavy Water
Reactors. Technologies for reprocessing of irradiated thorium fuel for
the separation of Uranium-233 have also been developed on a pilot plant
scale. Uranium-233 thus separated has been used as fuel in research reactor
Purnima-II and later in the 30 Kw Research Reactor Kamini now in operation at
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research(IGCAR), a constituent Unit of the
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Thorium based fuel has been manufactured
and located in the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) critical facility for
Reactor Physics experiments as well. Further development of technologies for
large scale commercial level manufacture and reprocessing of Uranium-233
bearing fuel is underway.