View source for Physics:List of countries by thorium resources

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'''Thorium resources''' are the [[Earth:Mineral resource estimation|estimated mineral reserves]] of [[Chemistry:Thorium|thorium]] on [[Astronomy:Earth|Earth]]. Thorium is a future potential source of low-carbon energy.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-09-16|title=Role of Thorium to Supplement Fuel Cycles of Future Nuclear Energy Systems|url=https://www.iaea.org/publications/8703/role-of-thorium-to-supplement-fuel-cycles-of-future-nuclear-energy-systems|access-date=2020-08-22|website=www.iaea.org|language=en}}</ref> Thorium has been demonstrated to perform as a nuclear fuel in several reactor designs.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-02-28|title=Thorium Fuel Cycle - Potential Benefits and Challenges|url=https://www.iaea.org/publications/7192/thorium-fuel-cycle-potential-benefits-and-challenges|access-date=2020-08-22|website=www.iaea.org|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Introduction of Thorium in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle {{!}} en {{!}} OECD|url=https://www.oecd.org/publications/introduction-of-thorium-in-the-nuclear-fuel-cycle-9789264241732-en.htm|access-date=2020-08-22|website=www.oecd.org}}</ref> It is present with a higher abundance than [[Chemistry:Uranium|uranium]] in the [[Earth:Crust (geology)|crust]] of the earth. Thorium resources have not been estimated and assessed with a higher level of confidence, as in the case of uranium. Approximately 6 million tonnes of thorium have been estimated globally based on currently limited exploration and mainly on historical data.{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=112}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thorium - World Nuclear Association|url=https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/thorium.aspx|access-date=2020-08-23|website=www.world-nuclear.org}}</ref>

Thorium resources are found widely in over 35 countries all over the world. As there is currently negligible commercial use of thorium, the resources should be considered potentially viable according to the [[Chemistry:United Nations Framework Classification for Resources|United Nations Framework Classification for Resources]]. Figures are given in metric tonnes of thorium metal. 

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"
|+
!Country
!Total thorium resources, <br>tonnes Th (rounded)
!Remarks
|-
|{{flag|Angola}}
|10,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=49}}
|-
|{{flag|Argentina}}
|35,910
|Recent reassessment{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=38}}
|-
|{{flag|Australia}}
|595,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=99}}
|-
|{{flag|Brazil}}
|632,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=39}}
|-
|{{flag|Canada}}
|172,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=29}}
|-
|{{flag|China}}
|100,000
|Possibly many hundred thousand tonnes.{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=63}}
|-
|{{flag|Congo, Democratic Republic of}} 
|2,500
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=49}}
|-
|{{flag|Egypt}}
|380,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=50}}
|-
|{{flag|Finland}}
|60,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=14}}
|-
|{{flag|France}}
|1,000
|Historical data. Estimated to be from several hundred to a thousand tonnes.{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=15}}
|-
|{{flag|Greenland}} (Denmark)
|86,000
|Current active exploration. Possibly up to 684,000 t.{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=17}}
|-
|{{flag|India}}
|846,477
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=68}}
|-
|{{flag|Iran}}
|30,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=75}}
|-
|{{flag|Kenya}}
|8,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=50}}
|-
|{{flag|Kazakhstan}}
|50,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=105}}
|-
|{{flag|Korea, Republic of}}
|6,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=76}}
|-
|{{flag|Madagascar}}
|22,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=51}}
|-
|{{flag|Malawi}}
|9,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=53}}
|-
|{{flag|Malaysia}}
|18,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=78}}
|-
|{{flag|Morocco}}
|30,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=53}}
|-
|{{flag|Mozambique}}
|10,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=54}}
|-
|{{flag|Nigeria}}
|29,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=54}}
|-
|{{flag|Norway}}
|87,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=20}}
|-
|{{flag|Peru}} 
|20,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=47}}
|-
|{{flag|Russia}}
|155,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|pp=21-22}}{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=83}}
|-
|{{flag|South Africa}}
|148,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=57}}
|-
|{{flag|Sri Lanka}}
|4,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=83}}
|-
|{{flag|Sweden}}
|50,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=23}}
|-
|{{flag|Taiwan}}
|9,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=105}}
|-
|{{flag|Thailand}}
|10,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=85}}
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}}
|381,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=26}}
|-
|{{flag|United States of America}}
|595,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=106}}
|-
|{{flag|Uruguay}}
|3,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=47}}
|-
|{{flag|Uzbekistan}}
|5,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=86}}
|-
|{{flag|Venezuela}}
|300,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=47}}
|-
|{{flag|Vietnam}}
|5,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=86}}
|-
|Others (Africa)
|1,000
|Historical data{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=105}}
|-
|Others (CIS) (excluding Russia,<br>Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan)
|1,340,000
|{{sfn|International Atomic Energy Agency|2019|p=105}}
|-
!'''Total'''
!'''6,245,887'''
!
|}
==See also==
*[[Chemistry:Thorium|Thorium]]
*[[Chemistry:Occurrence of thorium|Occurrence of thorium]]
*List of countries by uranium reserves
*[[Physics:Thorium fuel cycle|Thorium fuel cycle]]
*[[Physics:Thorium-based nuclear power|Thorium-based nuclear power]]
*[[Organization:Thorium Energy Alliance|Thorium Energy Alliance]]
*[[Physics:Nuclear power|Nuclear power]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite report |title=World Thorium Occurrences, Deposits and Resources |url=http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1877web.pdf |author=International Atomic Energy Agency |date=2019}}


[[Category:Nuclear fuels]]
[[Category:Nuclear technology]]
[[Category:Thorium]]

{{Sourceattribution|List of countries by thorium resources}}