Startup asserts ability to convert mercury into gold via fusion energy, sparking scientific curiosity
In a groundbreaking development, engineering company Marathon Fusion has proposed a plan to transmute mercury into gold using nuclear fusion reactions. The proposal, while theoretically grounded in nuclear physics, is still considered unproven and experimental.
The process, known as nuclear transmutation, involves inserting mercury-198 into the fusion reactor’s breeding blanket. Neutrons from fusion are then used to induce neutron capture, creating mercury-197, a radioactive isotope. Over approximately 64 hours, mercury-197 decays into stable gold-197, the naturally occurring isotope of gold.
One gigawatt of fusion electricity could potentially yield up to 5,000 kilograms of gold annually, valued at roughly $600 million at current gold prices. This gold production, according to Marathon Fusion, would not sacrifice energy output or tritium production, which are critical for fusion fuel sustainability.
The company's staff consists of just a dozen full-time employees, and they have raised $5.9 million in private funding and $4 million in U.S. government grants. Malcolm Handley, a founding investor of Marathon, believes the possibility of gold revenue could turbocharge fusion development across the industry.
However, several caveats must be noted. The academic paper describing this technology has not yet undergone peer review, and the claims remain to be independently verified by the scientific community. Some of the produced gold may be radioactive initially and could require up to 18 years of storage before being safe for commercial use, posing logistical and cost challenges.
While experts have expressed intrigue and cautious optimism, this is a highly novel application of fusion technology with no large-scale practical demonstration to date. Gold, with its steady demand and limited supply, is considered ideal for the process. However, the proposal is complicated due to natural mercury being a cocktail of several isotopes, some of which may form unstable varieties of gold.
If successfully implemented, Marathon Fusion’s gold transmutation via nuclear fusion could enable a new source of gold as a byproduct of fusion energy production, potentially generating substantial revenue. However, the concept remains at an early stage of development, and much work needs to be done to address practical issues such as radioactive decay and economic viability.
[1] Marathon Fusion's official website [2] Scientific paper describing the gold transmutation process [3] Interview with Dan Brunner, scientific adviser to Marathon Fusion [4] Interview with Malcolm Handley, founding investor of Marathon Fusion
- The gold transmutation process proposed by Marathon Fusion, if successful, could pave the way for a new source of gold as a byproduct of fusion energy production.
- The fusion company Marathon Fusion aims to transmute mercury into gold using nuclear fusion reactions, a groundbreaking development in the field of tech and science.
- Nuclear transmutation involves the insertion of mercury-198 into the fusion reactor’s breeding blanket, followed by neutron capture to create gold-197, a naturally occurring isotope of gold.
- Marathon Fusion's proposal could yield up to 5,000 kilograms of gold annually, with an estimated worth of $600 million at current gold prices, offering a significant revenue stream for the company in the future.
- The development of this experimental gold transmutation process could potentially revolutionize the finance and lifestyle sectors, as well as the medical-conditions field, due to the steady demand and limited supply of gold.
- The academic paper explaining the gold transmutation process has not undergone peer review, and the claims remain to be independently verified by the scientific community.
- In the education-and-self-development sphere, understanding the intricacies of the gold transmutation process through research could lead to innovative advancements in technology and physics.
- If fully realized, the process could also open up opportunities in sports and entertainment, as the potential revenue generated could fuel further research and development in fusion technology and other areas.
