An update on the attributes and status of thorium fuel cycles

Recently, the thorium fuel cycle has been the subject of renewed interest, in popular treatments as well as academic and official reviews. This paper first summarizes experience with the thorium fuel cycle. The paper then elaborates on the implications of thorium being frequently encountered in association with other metals in ores allowing a substantial amount of thorium to be recovered as a byproduct with minimal - and possibly beneficial - environmental impacts. Finally, the paper compares the attributes of thorium and uranium fuel cycles, the current status of activities related to use of thorium in a range of reactors and fuel cycles, and views on practical scenarios for introducing thorium into the nuclear fuel cycle in the future. (author)