Self-subsidizing Mercury Remediation with Fusion Reactors
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arXiv
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| Natura: | Preprint |
| Pubblicazione: |
2026
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| _version_ | 1866910099323224064 |
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| author | Parisi, J. F. Azad, J. |
| author_facet | Parisi, J. F. Azad, J. |
| contents | Fusion reactors can permanently remediate mercury by using it as a neutron multiplier: each (n,2n) reaction reduces the neutron number towards ${}^{197}$Hg which quickly decays into stable gold, irreversibly removing it from the environment while generating substantial economic value. Fusion energy is therefore not merely environmentally benign, but anti-polluting through the continuous consumption of an environmental pollutant. The history of nuclear fission demonstrates that environmental concerns can be decisive obstacles to low-carbon power deployment, suggesting that integrated pollution remediation fundamentally improves the policy calculus for fusion energy. We show that at high neutron flux (achievable in muon-catalyzed and inertial confinement fusion), nuclear reactions make all mercury isotopes eligible for gold transmutation, incentivizing mercury recovery and valuing the world mercury extractable stock at ${\sim}\$200$ trillion, exceeding all in-ground gold reserves. Co-producing gold alongside electricity can triple a fusion plant's revenue, aligning economic incentives with complete, permanent mercury remediation. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_02590 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Self-subsidizing Mercury Remediation with Fusion Reactors Parisi, J. F. Azad, J. Plasma Physics Physics and Society Fusion reactors can permanently remediate mercury by using it as a neutron multiplier: each (n,2n) reaction reduces the neutron number towards ${}^{197}$Hg which quickly decays into stable gold, irreversibly removing it from the environment while generating substantial economic value. Fusion energy is therefore not merely environmentally benign, but anti-polluting through the continuous consumption of an environmental pollutant. The history of nuclear fission demonstrates that environmental concerns can be decisive obstacles to low-carbon power deployment, suggesting that integrated pollution remediation fundamentally improves the policy calculus for fusion energy. We show that at high neutron flux (achievable in muon-catalyzed and inertial confinement fusion), nuclear reactions make all mercury isotopes eligible for gold transmutation, incentivizing mercury recovery and valuing the world mercury extractable stock at ${\sim}\$200$ trillion, exceeding all in-ground gold reserves. Co-producing gold alongside electricity can triple a fusion plant's revenue, aligning economic incentives with complete, permanent mercury remediation. |
| title | Self-subsidizing Mercury Remediation with Fusion Reactors |
| topic | Plasma Physics Physics and Society |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.02590 |