[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Fwd: Gold from excess neutrons in a Tokamak fusion reactor

[Ted Kochanski]

All,

It might be very clever -- or not as it pans out in reality -- not just a
simulation in a computer
Full Disclosure -- I've only read the abstract so far

The challenge is how you do the nuclear alchemi / breeding without
compromising the Fusion Physics

Are they lining the inside of the reaction chamber with LiHg -- or is this
outside the reaction chamber
If you put the LiHg inside you will pollute the plasma with electron-rich
Hg [i.e. an impossible to fully ionize species capable of radiating a lot
of xrays which in turn will boil stuff off the wall]

There is also the matter of the first wall trapping Tritium if it is made
of something which seems as if it might be porous

Still -- it sounds like it is a clever concept -- and if it makes Gold --
well ....

Ted

On Sat, Jul 26, 2025 at 12:03 PM Peter Albin via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us>
wrote:

> 21st century alchemy !
> Peter
>
> > On Jul 26, 2025, at 10:51 AM, Larry Wittig via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us>
> wrote:
> >
> > I'm not sure I sent the original message to the correct list.
> >
> > -- Larry
> >
> > ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> > From: Larry Wittig <9423lew at gmail.com>
> > Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2025 at 5:36 PM
> > Subject: Gold from excess neutrons in a Tokamak fusion reactor
> > To: <LCTG-Extended-subscribe at toku.us>
> >
> >
> > See:
> https://newatlas.com/science/fusion-reactors-put-king-midas-shame-gold-department/
> >
> > According to Marathon Fusion – a company dedicated to the development
> > of fusion energy components – a tokamak fusion reactor can not only
> > produce limitless clean energy, but five tonnes of gold out from
> > mercury for every gigawatt (~2.5 GWth) of electricity generated.
> >
> > Put simply, the method is similar to one proposed to allow reactors to
> > manufacture their own tritium fuel. This is done by lining the reactor
> > vessel with a layer of lithium. When the lithium absorbs a neutron
> > from the fusion reaction, it splits into an alpha particle and a
> > tritium atom. If you replace the lithium with the very common
> > mercury-198 isotope (or better yet, a lithium/mercury alloy), a fast
> > neutron will turn it into unstable mercury-197. This then undergoes an
> > electron decay that turns into (ta da!) gold-197. Oh, and there's
> > tritium as well, if you're using the alloy.
> > <2507.13461v2.pdf>
> > ===============================================
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