[Shawnski]

Originally Posted by Bagor

The raw product is your every day Thorium. It is not fuel ready.

I'm guessing he is talking about the initial cost of setting up a supply chain of prepared Thorium for use as a fuel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium...FWickleder2006

Good morning Bagor,

The raw fuel for a LFTR reactor is Thorium Fluoride (ThF4) which is easily made. What the "author" of that Wiki entry is indicating by saying "thorium requires irradiation" means that to "start the engine" you need a kick of Uranium 233. It is poorly worded, and the reference (14) in the notes only points back to the article itself.

Here is the catch with U233. It IS required to start the initial reaction in a LFTR. Once the reaction is going, LFTR creates its own U233 to perpetuate the process.

So, where do you get U233? Good question, glad I asked! It is not naturally occurring. There is a LARGE stockpile at the Oak Ridge facility where the initial thorium reactor was built in 1954. And sadly, the US government is actually paying to decommission (destroy) it as we speak.

Bottom line, no, the fuel for a LFTR is easily made and inexpensive.