Chinese dependence highlighted in bismuth supply for nuclear reactor coolant
A report says bismuth is crucial to a 240-megawatt nuclear reactor and that its coolant supply is 82% Chinese. The United States' last bismuth refinery closed in 1997.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar .
Why it matters
Concentrated supply of a nuclear-reactor material creates strategic supply-chain vulnerability.
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- Why bismuth is important for nuclear reactors: In 1997, America's last bismuth refinery shut down. 29 years later, the metal is crucial to a 240-MW nuclear reactor whose coolant supply is 82% Chinese ↗economictimes.indiatimes.com · Recorded source date: Aug 24, 2026, 7:31 PM UTC
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