Exploration activities carried out by Atomic Minerals
Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of
the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has resulted in establishing 3.74
million tones of Monazite in Andhra Pradesh which contains about
3,36,600 tonnes of thorium oxide equivalent to 2,96,000 tonnes of
thorium metal.
These reserves are explored and established.
Indian three stage nuclear power programme is aimed at long term energy
independence including use of thorium resources in the third stage. In
order to realize this goal, presently, the first stage of programme is
accomplished through the nuclear reactors based on natural uranium fuel.
The second stage envisages setting up of Fast Breeder Reactors. A
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is planned at Kalpakkam. The utilization
of thorium would be technically possible only in the third stage.
Since the country is still in the first stage of the nuclear power
programme, the requirement of Thorium by 2020 is quite modest.
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