Marathon Fusion’s Plan to Turn Mercury Into Gold Remains Theoretical
It remains a theoretical proposal due to the absence of commercial fusion reactors, with radioactive byproducts demanding long-term handling.
Overview
- Marathon Fusion proposes using high-energy neutrons from a fusion reactor to transmute mercury-198 into mercury-197, which then decays into stable gold-197.
- Production estimates from digital twin simulations suggest several tonnes of gold could be generated per gigawatt-year of thermal power.
- Digital twin simulations underpin these estimates but require validation against operational fusion reactors that have yet to be developed.
- Any gold produced would initially be radioactive, necessitating specialized handling and decay monitoring before it can be refined.
- The startup has secured over $10.9 million in early-stage funding despite the concept’s unproven status and significant technical hurdles.