Nuclear Fuel Depletion

[Post Note – This is the news item that sparked this debate.]

In all the debates about energy policy there has been a tendency to consider nuclear fuel as practically limitless for foreseeable needs – with all the downsides of the nuclear option concerned with the costs (capital and energy) in the investment and the safety / security therafter.

Sam pointed out a thread on “The Oil Drum” where the available resources of Uranium & Thorium fuel are being debated in much the same way as the peak-oil / end-of-oil. I commented on a number of the posts. My main missing piece is to understand where the “breeder reactor” idea fits into this energy accounting.

[Post Note : several good responses to my questions led me to re-read the original article – my summary so far is here. And finally my conclusion for now.]

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