The fissile material inside a nuclear bomb is primarily isotopes of uranium and plutonium, which are radioactive elements, Matthew Zerphy, a professor of practice in nuclear engineering at Penn State, ...

This is where fast neutron reactors are highly attractive. Fast neutron reactors can also fission other fissile elements, covering the full spectrum of neutron cross sections. TerraPower’s ...

Because of its abundance and its fissile material breeding capability ... “The mineral monazite, which is a major source of rare earth elements, is also a primary source of thorium,” said Mark ...