“炼金术”成真了？这家公司宣称：用核聚变“点汞成金”，未来每发电1千兆瓦或产5吨黄金

Core Insights - Marathon Fusion claims to have developed a method to convert mercury into gold using nuclear fusion reactions, potentially doubling revenue for future fusion power plants [1][4] - The technology is based on existing fusion principles and involves neutron bombardment to achieve nuclear transmutation [5][7] - The company estimates that each gigawatt of fusion power generated could produce approximately 5,000 kilograms of gold, equating the value of gold produced to the power generation revenue [1][8] Industry Context - The nuclear fusion sector has seen significant investment, with $2.6 billion raised in the past year, bringing total investments to $9.8 billion [4] - The global annual gold production is around 3,500 tons, and Marathon believes that the gold produced from fusion reactions can be absorbed by the market without affecting gold prices [8] Technical Details - The proposed method involves introducing mercury-198 isotopes into the fusion reactor's breeding blanket, where high-energy neutrons convert it into mercury-197, which decays into stable gold-197 [5][9] - The technology does not compromise the power output or tritium breeding capabilities of the fusion reactor [7] Commercial Potential - The potential for doubling revenue from fusion power plants has garnered attention, with experts expressing excitement about the theoretical feasibility of the technology [4][8] - Marathon Fusion was founded in 2023 and has raised $5.9 million, including approximately $4 million in government grants [8] Challenges - The main challenge involves the potential radioactivity of the produced gold due to the presence of other mercury isotopes, requiring a storage period of 14 to 18 years for safety [9] - While particle accelerators have previously synthesized gold, the yield has been minimal and costly, highlighting the uniqueness of Marathon's approach [9]