Environment & Energy

Ti mining, it occurred to me that such residues might contain Th as well. Evidently they can, but are basically an "impurity within an impurity", since titanium ore deposits often contain monazite sands, which are the source of both the REEs and Th. So IF the titanium mining residues are accumulated to be "mined" for REEs, the residues left over could them be accumulated to be "mined" for Th. I doubt that would have much economic impact, but it would convert radioactive "waste" to fuel. Maybe if demand overtops supply by a large enough factor, it might be worth pursuing, in $/kW-hr terms, if the reduction in hazards costs are included. Probably not at the present.