RE: Oxford Sigma19 Jul 2024 15:24
Is this related to the Cornwall resources announcement last year ?
Oxford Sigma and Cornwall Resources have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on enabling raw tungsten supply for commercial fusion energy. The MOU outlines how the two parties will collaborate to explore, develop, promote, and secure critical mineral supply pathways for tungsten to supply the fusion industry.
Fusion energy requires the use of tungsten for its high melting temperature, low plasma sputtering yield, and high thermal conductivity as part of the plasma-facing walls of a power station. In addition, tungsten possesses substantial radiation shielding properties that enable highly dense, efficient shielding components. The estimated requirements of tungsten materials for fusion power stations are between 100 – 5,000 tonnes per reactor (highly design dependent), with a requirement to renew tungsten components on a regular timeline further strengthening potential demand.
Currently over 90% of global tungsten supply is produced by China (84%), Vietnam (5.7%) and Russia (2.7%). It is imperative for the security of supply of this critical material that long-term alternative supplies are established.
Fusion energy is potentially a near-limitless source of carbon-free energy for the future, and tungsten will be a key component in the process, required for dense, highly efficient radiation shielding and plasma-facing components within fusion energy devices.
Fusion energy is actively being developed to reach commercialisation with over US $6.2 billion of private investment worldwide (as of August 2023). However, without a viable commercial pathway for the supply of tungsten from raw materials to the fusion community, the commercialisation of fusion energy could face significant delays. Oxford Sigma is developing materials solutions for components such as plasma-facing based on tungsten materials.
“Following on from other recent MOUs in tungsten supply, Oxford Sigma have entered into a key collaboration agreement with Cornwall Resources Limited. This is a natural fit to further strengthen our approach to securing long-term tungsten supply for the fusion power industry. Commercial fusion power stations are expected to become the ultimate domestic energy source, providing our clean power needs for generations. To make fusion sustainable, we must address the need of securing the supply of critical minerals, such as tungsten, and the projects that will produce them. Most of the technology that Oxford Sigma develops for fusion energy depend on large quantities of raw tungsten for various applications (radiation shielding and plasma-facing components). By collaborating with Cornwall Resources, Oxford Sigma continues to grow a network of world class projects, in safe jurisdictions, aiming to establish the supply of tungsten, ensuring a secure sustainable tungsten supply for the world’s fusion reactors of the future. We look forward to working with CRL, and our ot
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