Could be. Might be. However, all the aforementioned industries would certainly struggle to survive when MSR thorium is up and running!

And the almost certain reason why investors and unwise, boot-licking compliant politicians have combined to suppress MSR thorium and home-based, independent energy prices no other could compete with.

Moreover, apart from the promise of endless ultra-cheap safe, clean energy, MSR thorium is also reliable, dispatchable, CARBON FREE energy!

Here's the thing, some folks are more worried about the profit curve, sovereign risk and stranded assets then the future of mankind!?

If the true goal had been complete energy independence? Then the aforementioned investors and jelly-back, gormless politicians have clearly backed the wrong horse and now expect Joe average to pay the price, every which way! ENVIRONMENTALLY, ECONOMICALLY!
Alan B.

Why not keep it simple?
If mining of any sort, doesn’t pay in current climate; cease production until it becomes profitable.

Dan

Yes as far as I know the shale industry has always been a financially shaky boondoggle. Such has always been cogently argued by James Howard Kunstler. It leaves behind a ruined landscape and most importantly forever contaminated water supplies - it also uses huge amounts of water.
And, as far as I know there are now hundreds or perhaps thousands of abandoned sites which will NOT be cleaned up by the companies that create them.

Such clean ups will be left to the long suffering taxpayer who will have to pay for them, which of course means that these sites will never ever be cleaned up - just like the hundreds( even thousands) of toxic Superfund sites all over America.