India mulls private thorium mining to boost uranium-233 research
India
India is thinking about letting private companies help mine thorium, a move that could give a big boost to the country's nuclear energy plans and secure important minerals for the future.
The idea is to allow selective mining of coastal sands for thorium and speed up research on turning it into uranium-233, which can be used as nuclear fuel.
India holds 1-quarter of world's thorium
India actually has about one-quarter of the world's thorium, mostly hidden in sands along Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
Right now, only a government company handles mining because of security rules.
If private players join in, especially with new rare earth corridors planned, it could make nuclear power cleaner and more reliable for India's growing energy needs.