Thorium, also, is potentially of great economic value, because one of its isotopes, thorium-232, can be converted into the fissionable isotope uranium-233 in a nuclear breeder reactor (i.e., one that produces more fissionable material than it consumes), thus increasing by many times available supplies of fissionable materials.
Breeder reactor, nuclear reactor that produces more fissionable material than it consumes to generate energy.
The insect damages more material than it consumes and emits a disagreeable odour.
As the shale gas industry grows it consumes material – water, sand, drilling fluids, chemical treatments – and this requires transport by road and rail.
First, and perhaps most obviously, it consumes woody material.
It consumes 50% of natural material resources, 40% of energy and is responsible for 50% of total waste.
It consumes grit to aid with digesting its prey, but any plant material and non-flying invertebrates consumed are taken inadvertently while hunting other food items.
At the same time, the PtG plant has to pay for electricity and raw materials that it has consumed.
The process of cell division requires large quantities of structural materials and consumes energy, while cell expansion requires large quantities of solutes and water.
However, it does not take a vivid imagination (and indeed the respective statistics support this to come to the conclusion that all those people need to eat, wear clothes, have a place to live, consume raw materials, consume energy and produce waste.
