Thorium pushed as uranium alternative

A SCIENTIFIC movement to promote thorium as a nuclear fuel, due to its plenty and improved safety, is developing around the world and Australia could lead the way the Sydney scientist Reza Hashemi-Nezhad has argue for additional than a decade for the benefits of thorium when used in an accelerator-driven nuclear reactor that operate at subcritical conditions.'

'You cannot have an accident like to Chernobyl,'' Dr Hashemi-Nezhad, the director of the Institute of Nuclear Science at the University of Sydney, said, ''It does not make weapon-grade materials and the nuclear waste is much less toxic than beginning a standard reactor.''

With the world's major reserves of the radioactive mineral, Australia could be a leader in increasing and adopting the technology,''It is completely proven and feasible,'' Dr Hashemi-Nezhad said, ''the only thing necessary here is government acceptance.''