Marathon Fusion, previously focused on developing tritium recycling technology for fusion reactors, has emerged from stealth with a groundbreaking preprint titled „Scalable Chrysopoeia via (n, 2n) Reactions Driven by Deuterium-Tritium Fusion Neutrons.” The paper proposes using mercury in the lithium breeding blankets of fusion reactors to produce gold through neutron-induced transmutation. This process involves mercury-198 absorbing high-energy neutrons and decaying into gold, while simultaneously serving as a neutron multiplier for tritium production. The authors, including plasma physicists from Princeton and Oxford, argue that their approach could yield economically significant quantities of gold—potentially doubling fusion plant revenues—by leveraging existing fusion infrastructure. However, the feasibility hinges on the successful commercialization of fusion energy itself, which remains uncertain, with prediction markets estimating roughly 50% odds within the next few decades.
The economic implications are substantial: the preprint estimates that a full-scale fusion plant could produce around 2 tonnes of gold per gigawatt of thermal energy annually. For context, ITER’s planned 0.5 GWth output could yield 1 tonne of gold per year, worth approximately $100 million at current prices. If widely adopted, this could add up to 1,000 tonnes of gold annually to global supplies—a 25% increase—likely depressing prices but not collapsing the market. The additional revenue stream could be critical for making fusion energy economically viable, akin to how nuclear weapons synergies supported early fission reactors. However, significant challenges remain, including potential engineering complexities, uncertainties in neutron cross-sections, and the inherent radioactivity of the freshly produced gold, which requires decay storage for 7–18 years before it can be safely handled or sold.
Beyond the scientific and economic angles, Marathon Fusion’s announcement serves strategic purposes: generating hype, attracting investment, and differentiating the company in a crowded fusion startup landscape. The concept of „chrysopoeia”—ancient alchemical gold-making—adds a layer of historical intrigue and marketing appeal. While the technology is far from guaranteed, even a modest probability of success (estimated at ~10–20% by analysts) justifies continued research. If realized, fusion-based gold production could transform not only the energy sector but also the global commodities market, turning a millennia-old alchemical dream into a cornerstone of future infrastructure.
Ez a cikk a Neural News AI (V1) verziójával készült.
Forrás: https://thebsdetector.substack.com/p/government-funded-alchemy.